


Ørlǫglauss (Fateless)

by MissOctober13, Nyna_Rollins



Category: Norse Religion & Lore, Thor (Movies)
Genre: ALL Of The Abuse Is In The Past!, Alpha Thor, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Mob, Blood and Violence, Darker/Edgier Thor, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Guns, Illegal Activities, M/M, Mafia AU, Mpreg, Murder, Omega Loki, Past Drug Use, Physical Abuse, Possessive Thor, Protective Loki, Sleipnir Gets Better Guys, Sleipnir Learns to Trust Thor, Smut, Thor Would NEVER Hurt Loki!, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:55:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 151,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23726428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissOctober13/pseuds/MissOctober13, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyna_Rollins/pseuds/Nyna_Rollins
Summary: Trapped in an abusive marriage with an alpha mobster boss, omega Loki manages to escape with their toddler alpha son Sleipnir to finally live a life of freedom. The omega ends up catching the curious eye of alpha mob boss Thor Odinson, who can’t seem to stop coming into the shithole diner he’s managed to pick up shifts at. There’s just something about the golden-haired alpha that draws Loki to his side, but… he can’t trust himself to act on his feelings. Not again. He just can’t risk falling in love again, only to end up back in the same situation he was in before. It seems that Thor isn’t too keen on taking “no” for an answer, though...
Relationships: Loki & Thor, Loki & Thor (Marvel), Loki/Thor, Loki/Thor (Marvel)
Comments: 811
Kudos: 1257





	1. Escape

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!!!
> 
> So this was a collaborative project between myself and MissOctober13. This was all 100% their idea, and they trusted me to bring it to life. This is a genre that I've never really worked with before, but I will do my best to write a good story for yall :)
> 
> So in this story, there are 9 major mafias/mobs. Each of them "control" a portion of the country. Here is some information about mafias in this world before you get started reading:
> 
> -Each mafia has its own territory.  
> -Mafia families maintain influence in every way in their territories. For example, they could control the police dept, the hospitals, local businesses, etc.  
> -Rival gangs CANNOT conduct businesses in their rival’s territories without permission.  
> -Even ally mafia families must be wary of each other; they could always turn on each other at a moment’s glance.
> 
> Here are the main positions in the mafia/mob family:  
> ( I would like to state that the mobs here in this story are made up, and were inspired by the numerous mobs around the world, in various countries)  
> 1.Boss/King/Don: The head of the organization and has power to order anything and everything from anyone in the crime family.  
> 2.Underboss: Is the lieutenant second in command his level of authority varies, but is ready to stand for his boss at any given moment.  
> 3.The consigliere, or chief advisor, or counselor. He is a close and trusted friend and confidant of the family boss for strategic information, diplomatic counsel, and sound advice. The Consigliere is someone who the Boss trusts and goes to for advice, counsel or information regarding the organization, operations, or businesses. The Consigliere is meant to offer unbiased information based on what he sees as best for the crime family.  
> 4.Caporegime/ Captain: The captain heads a large crew of anywhere from 20 to 1,000 soldiers and associates and can order them to do absolutely anything, The captains report directly to a boss or underboss who hands down the orders and instructions.  
> 5.Soldiers: The lowest-ranking members of the Mafia, the grunts of the organization, generally sticking out their neck in the hope of making a name for themselves by demonstrating their loyalty to the organization and protecting the organization at all costs.  
> 6.Associates: Are not made members of the Mafia, but they work for the Mafia. Associates cannot turn down an order from the Mafia if the Mafia gives them an order they have to follow it, and they can never refuse. Associates are also regular citizens who are indebted to the mob, to carry out their dirty work.

**✨✨✨**

A lecherous grip on Loki’s ass was the harsh reminder that almost all of his days started out the same.

The kiss to the scent gland on his neck was everything but gentle and affirming, yet… he’d learned by now to not recoil from his touch.

He didn’t want to be hit or choked this morning for refusing his husband's affection.

“You look as radiant as the sun, my dear.” Murmured Svadilfari, kissing Loki's neck again. 

Loki went lax in his husband's hold, praying the same prayer that he prayed every morning; that this would all be over quickly. If he did what Svadilfari wanted, the alpha would leave him alone for the day, allowing him to spend time with their son. If he was bad, though… Loki didn’t want to think about what would happen. Instead, he turned in Svadilfari’s arms, looking up at his husband and waiting for him to continue.

Svadilfari grinned at him licentiously then, reaching out to caress his cheek. “Looks like someone is eager to be fucked this morning.”

Loki didn’t respond, and instead closed his eyes when Svadilfari kissed him, returning his kiss in the way he’d learned his husband liked best.

As always, Svadilfari didn’t care about preparation or foreplay, and was already settling himself on top of Loki, rutting against him. Loki had gotten used to the pain over the years - he’d been married to the alpha for 5 years now - and spread himself, so numb by this point that he didn’t even grimace or cringe when the alpha roughly pushed his way into him, his scent pungent and overwhelming in Loki’s nostrils.

Loki often went into his head when Svadilfari fucked him, and this time was no different. It never felt good, and it always left him feeling disgusting and worthless at the end of it. His husband was always so rough, and once it was over he was left sore and covered in the scent that he hated most.

He was just thankful that Svadilfari demanded he use birth control; the alpha had over a dozen children and didn’t want anymore. Sleipnir had been a “happy” surprise, and after he was born Svadilfari made it _very_ clear that he didn’t want any more surprises. 

After finishing in him, Svadilfari pulled out and grunted, sitting up on the side of the bed. “Where do you want to go today?”

Svadilfari allowed him to leave the mansion that they lived in once a month, and he could only go to places that the alpha deemed “acceptable”. He usually tried to choose a park that Sleipnir could play at, so that the child could experience some aspects of being a normal kid. “I… I was hoping that I could take Sleipnir to the park today.”

Snorting, Svadilfari looked over his shoulder, shooting Loki an amused look. “Why do you care so much about that little boy? You’re the only wife I have that cares this much about their child.”

Loki had learned in the past that this was a rhetorical question, and he bit a lower lip, looking away.

His husband grinned darkly then, a smug look on his face. “Who do you love more? Me or him?”

“You, Husband.” Lied Loki, looking up at the alpha and trying to place all the pretend truth and conviction that he could muster, in his voice. “And I always will.”

“Damn right.” Answered Svadilfari, standing up and heading to his closet. “You can go to the park.”

Nodding quickly, Loki stood up from the bed, thanking his husband before grabbing his robe and slipping into it. He wasn’t allowed to go anywhere without his bodyguards, so he waited patiently for them to enter the room after Svadilfari called for them, turning away when they finally came into the bedroom.

Svadilfari was a very jealous man, and he hated when anyone that wasn’t him spoke to Loki; including their son. Loki wasn’t allowed to speak to his bodyguards - or _anyone_ for that matter - unless absolutely necessary, and even then Svadilfari got upset. Anyone that spoke to him needed to receive permission from Svadilfari, and many people in this organization had lost their lives speaking to Loki without Svadilfari’s permission. Loki _hated_ this aspect of his life, always feeling so trapped and alone.

Luckily, he wouldn’t have to deal with that anymore.

At least… he wouldn’t have to if things went as he planned, today.

Making his way over to Svadilfari, Loki thanked him once more and kissed him goodbye, telling him that he loved him. If he didn’t, the alpha would’ve gotten upset, and then all of Loki’s careful planning would have been wasted. 

And he couldn’t let that happen.

Following his bodyguards out of Svadilfari’s room, Loki made his way through the vast mansion, his heart pounding with excitement when he finally reached his room. He was only allowed to be here with his son when Svadilfari didn’t want him by his side - the alpha had a plethora of wives, and wasn’t always with Loki - and thanked the Norns that the alpha had given him permission to take Sleipnir to the park today.

Opening the door, Loki looked around at his room, immediately spotting his son. The little boy was curled up on the couch, a blanket that Loki quilted for him wrapped around his body. Every single one of Svadilfari’s wives had a part of his mansion that they resided in, with their rooms resembling apartments. Each room had their own kitchen, living room, dining room, and bedrooms and bathrooms for them and their children. 

Loki was just relieved to see his son and made his way over to him, crouching down and running his fingers through his silken, black hair. “Sleipnir?”

The young child groaned softly, stretching out on the couch and beginning to open his eyes. “Mama?”

Loki grinned, leaning forward to kiss the boy. “Your father said that we can go to the park today.”

This perked the young child up, and Sleipnir rose quickly, beginning to giggle, happiness shining in his sage green eyes. “Really?!”

“Yup. Let’s shower and eat breakfast so that we can go.” Answered Loki, standing up and gesturing for his son to follow him. The bodyguards he had remained turned away, so Loki scooped his son up, planting kiss after kiss on his nose. “And on the way home, we can get some ice cream!”

Sleipnir cheered, squirming with excitement in Loki’s arms. “With sprinkles?”

“A lot of them,” Grinned Loki, heading to his bedroom and closing the door. Svadilfari had cameras in every room in this mansion, so Loki couldn’t speak about his plans just yet. The only safe place was the shower, as the sound would muffle anything said between them. “Ready to take a shower?”

Sleipnir nodded seriously, understanding what that meant. Once Loki entered the connecting bathroom and turned on the shower, the pair stripped down and entered, knowing that they had to make it look like they were showering while they talked.  
  


If they remained huddled up whispering, that would look suspicious. 

Now that they were under the water of the showerhead, Loki reached out to grab the shampoo, bending over to wash Sleipnir’s hair. “Do you know the plan, child?”

Sleipnir hummed, closing his eyes as Loki scrubbed his scalp. “Yep! I’m supposed to say that I have to potty, and then when we go potty we run away! A-And we keep running until we get on a bus! And then we live happy ever after!”

“That’s right!” Praised Loki, reaching for the showerhead and washing the suds out of his son’s hair. “And no matter what, we stick together. Okay?”

“Mhm!”

Kissing the tip of his son’s nose, Loki stood up and reached for a washcloth with soap, quickly washing the boy and then himself. The pair rinsed off, dressed, ate breakfast, and promptly left, their bodyguards following behind them.

Loki nodded as his personal driver greeted him, making sure that Sleipnir was in his booster seat comfortably before climbing into the back seat of the black SUV himself, strapping in.

He was nervous.

When he was 16, his family had fallen on hard times and received funds from a loan shark in Svadilfari’s mafia, hoping that they could pull through. Unfortunately they couldn’t, and when his father had been tasked with a way to pay back the loan shark, he’d offered Loki instead.

That had been the worst day of his life.

He was thrust into a world of forced prostitution, and thought that he had been saved when Svadilfari pulled him out of the underworld and married him.

Oh, how wrong he’d been.

Being married to the boss of the Jotunheim Mafia was a fate worse than death, and Loki could only pray that his plans of escape would work. He couldn’t accept his plans failing, and bit a lower lip, sending up a silent prayer to the Norns for safety. 

He and Sleipnir were now at the park, so once they exited the SUV Loki sent his son off to play, looking around at his surroundings. He’d been planning this escape for a year now, and knew that today was the day.

The 506 bus came every 15 minutes to this park, and took 1-2 minutes to depart and load, before driving straight to the Yager bus station, which had buses that drove out of the state. Jotunheim was in charge of the entire Northeast region of their country, so that meant that Loki would need to ride about 12 hours out before making it to the first state outside of Svadilfari’s control.

He didn’t want to stop there, though, and would ride as far as he could through Helheim’s region of influence, wanting to get out of the states controlled by that particular mafia. Then, he would arrive at a shelter that had room for himself and his son, and go from there.

Anywhere would be better than where they were right now.

Because Svadilfari had control over every aspect of Loki’s life - from his phone to his debit cards to where he could and couldn’t go - Loki never had the opportunity to carry cash.

Thankfully, for the past year he would ask his bodyguards for money to the vending machine to get a drink for Sleipnir, and they never asked for the change back. They would usually give him $20 and would never ask for the change back, so he’d been meticulously saving. He had _just_ enough cash to do what he needed to do, and waited until it hit 12 in the afternoon. 

Right on schedule, Sleipnir ran over to him, a big grin on his face. “Mama, I have to go potty!”

Loki stood up from the bench he was sitting on, taking Sleipnir’s hand. “Alright, child.” As expected, the bodyguards followed him to the omega bathroom, waiting outside for them.

There was a window in the bathroom in the big stall that led outside to the park, and Loki and Sleipnir were skinny enough to fit through it. Loki saw the bus make its way down the street to the park through the window, so he knew that at most they had 3 minutes to escape.

Opening the window, Loki helped Sleipnir out first, before climbing out next, his heart racing as the bus skidded to a stop a hundred feet from him. “Shit!” He cursed, snatching Sleipnir up and running as fast as he possibly could to the bus stop. If he missed it, he would have to wait a whole month before he could try again.

Like an answer to his prayers, it seemed like someone was arguing with the bus driver, so Loki managed to make it onto the bus, sighing in relief as he pulled out a wad of cash, waiting until the person in front of him finally paid before slipping a 5 dollar bill into the cash machine at the front of the bus. His heart was nearly pounding out of his chest, and the second the machine beeped and printed out his ticket, Loki almost cried in relief.

He wasn’t in the clear yet though, so he took the ticket and sat down at the back of the bus where there were no windows, holding Sleipnir close and praying that this would work. He tried to keep his face turned away from everyone, fearing that someone might be a part of Jotunheim, and recognize him.

Thankfully no one did, so Loki rode the bus all the way to Yager Station, knowing that this was the riskiest part. Svadilfari’s goons patrolled this area regularly for people trying to skip out on town to avoid paying back their loans, or trying to escape their punishment.

Because he’d been planning this for a year though, he thought of a way to overcome this obstacle. The bus terminal had a small shop, and Loki had enough for a cap and a change of clothes for both himself and his son. The bus that would take them out of the state wouldn’t leave for another 10 minutes, so Loki rushed to the small gift shop, buying inconspicuous shirts and caps for himself and his son. They then rushed to the bathroom to change, and it was here that Loki dumped everything.

He didn’t know if Svadilfari had a tracker in the phone or ring that he made him wear, so Loki just took everything off, dumping his phone, his ring, his old clothes, and anything else that wasn’t cash into the trashcan in the stall. 

He didn’t even want to risk that Sleipnir’s toy had a tracking device in it, and threw that away too, his heart breaking when he saw the young boy tear up. Crouching down, Loki ran a soothing hand down his son’s back, shushing him gently. “Mommy will buy you a new toy soon, Sleipnir.”

Sniffing, Sleipnir looked up at him, his eyes shining with more tears and wary hope. “Promise?”

Loki nodded, kissing his son quickly before picking him up. “We have to hurry. We can’t miss the bus.”

“O-Okay,” Whimpered the young boy, clinging onto Loki tightly. Loki felt _terrible_ for throwing away his child’s toy, but he didn’t want to risk it. If Svadilfari found them, there would _never_ be another opportunity for them to escape. 

And Loki couldn’t let that happen. 

“Boarding for bus 6123. We are currently boarding for bus 6123. Please purchase your tickets, and begin loading onto the bus.”

Cursing, Loki sped over to the ticket counter, praising the Norns that there wasn’t a line. “I need two tickets for the 6123 bus headed to Laurenceville.”

The ticket attendant narrowed his eyes at Loki, looking him over. “You look familiar. I could’ve sworn I’ve seen you before.”

Loki’s heart beat twice in that moment, and he laughed, pretending that this was a crazy idea. “Oh, I get that all the time. I’m not from the area though, so I doubt you’ve seen me before.”

The ticket attendant laughed as well, which filled Loki with relief. “Yeah, everyone looks the same around here; sorry about that. Here’s your ticket to the 6123 bus. Hurry up; boarding is almost done.”

Thanking the attendant, Loki took their tickets and made it to the boarding line, keeping his face turned away from the cameras of the bus station. There was no doubt that Svadilfari was already aware that he was missing, and he prayed once again to the Norns that they could escape.

“Sir? Your ticket, please?”

Snapping back to reality, Loki shot the ticket counter what he hoped was a friendly smile and handed her his tickets, taking them back once she scanned them and trying to stop shaking. He was so close, so _fucking_ close to saving himself and his son, and he was terrified that Svadilfari’s men would catch him before he could escape.

Taking a step forward once he was cleared, Loki made his way onto the bus and headed straight for the back, wanting seats for himself and his son that weren’t near any windows. He didn’t want to risk any of Svadilfari’s men seeing them through the window while passing, and gulped nervously, sitting down.

It seemed that Sleipnir was nervous too, as the little boy was shaking like a leaf in his arms, clinging to him so tight it almost hurt. Very carefully, Loki sat his son down in the seat next to him, his heart breaking when the boy looked up at him in fear. “Everything will be okay, sweetheart.”

Sleipnir sniffed, beginning to tear up again. “But what if Daddy finds us? I don’t want to get hurt.”

Loki shook his head quickly, silencing his son. “That won’t happen. Mommy will never let that happen.”

The young alpha whimpered, wiping at his tears. “Where are we gonna go, Mama?”

“I… I don’t know. But we will be okay. We’re going to start our new life, and… and it’s just going to be you and me. We’ll be happy, and go to the park whenever we want, and no one will ever hurt us again.” Assured Loki, beginning to tear up too. “No one will ever hurt us again.”

The pair stared off before Sleipnir nodded, pulling Loki in for a hug. “I-I love you, Mama!”

Loki smiled softly, hugging his son close. “I love you too, sweet child. Whatever happens, I will always protect you." He kissed his child's forehead again and again then, before sitting up and pulling Sleipnir against his side. The child scooted closer and hummed softly, closing his eyes as Loki stroked soothing circles into his back, trusting him to keep them safe. 

And by the Norns, Loki would do anything to keep Sleipnir safe. 

Regardless of what had to be done.

***

The ride out of the states that Svadilfari controlled took about 12 hours, and at every stop Loki couldn't help but fear the worst. He was worried that Svadilfari found him, that it was just a matter of time before he and Sleipnir were taken back to that dreadful house, locked up away and abused forever. 

His mind drifted back to the most recent time that he was hit, then. 

He'd been in bed curled up with Sleipnir when his bedroom door had been thrown open by Svadilfari, a drunken, enraged look on his face. "Get up, bitch!" 

His hands were on Loki dragging him out of bed before the omega had time to process what was happening, and he screamed, fighting off his husband. "Wait, wait, Husband I-" 

Svadilfari slapped Loki across the face, jarring the omega. "Did you just tell me what to fucking do?" 

By this point Sleipnir was awake and the little boy began to cry, crawling across the bed and jumping off of it to Loki's crumpled form. "Don't hurt him!!!" 

Svadilfari was grabbing at Sleipnir next, a fearsome scowl on his face. "I'll do whatever the hell I want with him, boy. That's what husbands do." He threw the young alpha against the frame of the bed next, a sickening "pop" resounding throughout the room.

Loki screamed and scrambled to Sleipnir's side, tears pouring down his cheeks. "What did you do?!" 

Sleipnir was sobbing in his arms from the pain, and Loki glared up at Svadilfari, the acrid scent of fearsome pheromones pouring out from him. "He's just a child! He was just trying to help me!" 

This seemed to be the wrong thing to say, as Svadilfari growled, emitting downright murderous laced pheromones. "I always knew you fucking loved that bastard more than me! You fucking bitch, I saved you! You were nothing before me! Nothing!" 

Loki screamed again when Svadilfari grabbed him by his hair, dropping Sleipnir onto the ground, fighting against his husband’s hold. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" 

Tossing Loki aside, Svadilfari glared down at their young son, who was sobbing and holding his dislocated shoulder. "All I have to do is make the problem go away, right?" 

Loki's heart sank and he rushed to Sleipnir's side, beginning to plead with the enraged alpha. "Husband, Husband please, I-I'll do anything, anything! Hit me instead, hit me!" 

Svadilfari paused, looking down at Loki. "Anything?" 

"Yes! Anything!" 

Svadilfari readied his fist then and punched Loki, sending the omega flying back against the wall. 

"MOMMY!" Screamed Sleipnir, trying to stand and run over to him. 

Svadilfari stomped on the boy's back then, knocking the breath out of him. "Don't you fucking dare, you little shit."

Loki scrambled in his delirious haze to his husband's side, pulling on his waist and fighting through the throbbing pain. "No! H-hit me, hit me!" 

Svadilfari punched Loki again, but the omega held on tightly, continuing to plead with the alpha. "Hit _me_! Leave him alone! Just hit me!" 

The drunk alpha stepped off of the young child, who was struggling to breathe. "I shouldn't have let you keep him."

Loki clung on even tighter to the alpha, his begging turning into fevered pleading. "I-I'll do whatever you want, hit me as many times as you need to, just don't hurt him! I love you so much and I always will, Husband, you mean everything to me! I love you!" 

Svadilfari ceased his reckless abuse on Loki, looking down at him. "You love me?" 

Loki nodded hurriedly, trying to ensure the drunk alpha of this. "I love you so much, Alpha! You mean everything to me!" 

The alpha blinked a few times, processing this. "More than the boy?" 

"More than anyone!" Assured Loki. "I will do whatever you want me to do. Just leave Sleipnir alone, and then we can call someone to help him with his shoulder, and I'm yours forever."

The alpha grunted, drunkenly looking over at the weeping boy. "Why does he need a doctor?" 

"His shoulder is dislocated. Once he's helped we can return to your room, and you can do whatever you want to me." Explained Loki, trying to reason with the inebriated alpha. “I’ll remain by your side for as long as you want me to, Husband.”

Svadilfari grunted again, pulling out his cellphone and calling someone. "Thrym. Sleipnir needs a doctor, apparently. Bring one to Loki's room, now." He then hung up and reached out, snatching Loki by the hair. "Time to uphold your end of the bargain, bitch."

Loki bit a lower lip and squeezed his eyes shut to hold back his sobbing, his heart absolutely breaking. Svadilfari wouldn't let him stay to make sure that Sleipnir was okay, and all Loki could do was cry, praying that the little boy would receive the care that he needed. 

And then he was brought to Svadilfari's room, where he was beaten and raped until he couldn't even remember his own name. 

He was kept away from Sleipnir for an entire week, and the pair lost their privilege of going outside the mansion for the month. 

That had been a month ago. 

"This is the stop for Laurenceville. If you have a connecting ticket, please make sure that you have it ready before boarding your next bus." Announced the bus driver, drawing Loki from his mind and that dreadful memory. 

He shook his head quickly and blinked back the tears, sniffing and gently shaking his son up. "Wake up, sweetheart. We have to get on the next bus."

Sleipnir groaned in frustration, glaring up at Loki. "I'm tired…"

"You can sleep on the next bus, Sleipnir."Assured Loki, picking him up and standing. Together the pair made their way off of the bus and exited the platform, off to purchase the ticket that would begin to take them further south. 

Heading to the ticket counter, Loki pulled a 20 out of his pocket, handing it to the attendant. "Two tickets to Bryceton, please."

"That'll be 30 dollars, please." Chirped the attendant, extending her hand expectantly. 

Loki's heart dropped. He only had $100, and that needed to get him through the next 800 miles. "I-I thought it was 20? That's what it said online."

"For our night trips, a fee of 5 dollars per ticket is applied." Explained the attendant. 

Loki cursed, turning away and trying to not panic. He'd planned this trip methodically, and had just enough to get him and his son to a specific shelter that was a few states away. 

"Sir? Here are your tickets."

Loki looked up in shock, staring at the attendant. "What?" 

The attendant smiled softly, handing Loki two tickets. "I've been there before. And someone helped me. Now it's my turn to help you. Here, take the tickets."

Loki teared up, too terrified to believe that this was happening. "A-Are you certain?" 

The woman nodded, quickly shoving the tickets into Loki's hands when she noticed that her boss was approaching. "Thank you for your purchase sir, please have a nice day. Next!" 

Loki mouthed "thank you" at her and turned, noticing that there was a food counter at the bus terminal. Their bus wouldn't begin boarding for 20 minutes, so Loki kissed Sleipnir's cheek, catching the boy's attention and waking him up. "Are you hungry? It looks like they have some food over there."

Sleipnir perked up, beginning to get excited. "Can I have a hotdog?" 

"Of course you can," Answered Loki, making his way over to the counter. "Two hotdog combos, please."

The counter worker hummed, taking his money and preparing his meal. Once finished, they handed Loki's food to him in a bag, so Loki thanked them, making his way over to a table not near any cameras or windows, and sitting down. 

Right now they were out of Jötunheim’s territory, and in Helheim's. Helheim was a lawless mob, even darker and more dangerous than Jotunheim, and Loki knew that he needed to be on guard the whole time. 

Thankfully, no one bothered them, and right when the announcer called for those getting on the bus to Bryceton Loki stood, handing the ticket counter his ticket, and going straight to the back of the bus, sitting himself and his son down. 

"Mommy?" 

"Hm?" 

"I'm bored…"

Loki sighed, drumming his fingers against his thighs and trying to think of something. "Want to make a story?" 

Sleipnir clapped his hands in excitement, grinning up at Loki. "Okay!" 

"Once upon a time, there was a prince-" 

"Who lived in a really big castle! Bigger than everyone else!" Interrupted Sleipnir, which made Loki laugh and ruffle his hair. 

"He lived in a big, _big_ castle, and everyone in the kingdom was his friend." Continued Loki, a gentle smile on his face. "But the prince was lonely; all he wanted was for someone to love him."

"Then one day, a big strong knight came to save the prince!" Added Sleipnir. "And he loved the prince a lot!" 

“And the knight was so kind that the prince fell in love too, and so they got married, and lived happily ever after." Finished Loki, kissing Sleipnir's forehead. “And the big, strong knight protected the prince forever and ever."

“And then they had a lot of children and loved them very much!” Giggled Sleipnir. 

“Yes, they did.” Smiled Loki, kissing his son's forehead again. 

The two went back and forth like this creating various stories until Sleipnir grew bored of this too. Loki did his best to keep his son entertained, and spoke endlessly with him about anything and everything, relieved when the boy finally tired himself out and fell asleep.

They were about 2 hours away from their destination, so Loki hoped that things would continue to go smoothly. The shelter he contacted told him that they had a bed for him and his son, and that they would hold it for 24 hours before giving it away to someone else. That had been 18 hours ago, so Loki knew that he was racing against the clock right now.

The rest of the ride to the town that the shelter was in was uneventful, and Loki shook his son awake once they arrived, feeling exhausted. He’d been up for over 24 hours at this point, but knew that he couldn’t give up just yet. They still needed to pay a taxi to get them there, so after using the restroom and cleaning up a bit, Loki paid a taxi to take them to a shelter. 

It was currently 4am, so Loki took a moment to thank the Norns for getting him and his son there safely. They were out of Jotunheim’s area of influence, and had managed to not get caught in Helheim, so for this Loki was thankful.

They were currently in Asgard’s region of influence, and because Asgard and Jotunheim were sworn enemies, Loki _knew_ that he’d be safe here. No one would ever know who he was or who his son was, and they’d be free.

They _were_ free.

They’d escaped.

Now wasn’t the time to cry or sigh in relief though, as they still needed to get to the shelter and check-in. Loki thanked the taxi driver for the ride and picked up a sleeping Sleipnir, paying the driver and heading into the building.

The shelter wasn’t really in the best area of town from what it looked like, but that was to be expected. Places like this weren’t in upscale areas of cities.

They were always in the slums.

Taking a deep breath, Loki opened the doors to the shelter and greeted the night shift attendant, reaching into his pocket for his ID. “Hello, I’m Loki Laufeyson; I called earlier and was told there was a bed reserved for myself and my son.”

The attendant hummed, eyeing Sleipnir. “How old is the boy? We don’t accept omegas with children over 5.”

Loki knew that his son was tall for a 4-year-old - Svadilfari was 6’5, and Loki was 5’11, so that wasn’t too surprising - and sighed softly, beginning to frown. “He’s 4. He’s just tall like me.”

The front desk attendant stared off with Loki for a few seconds before sighing, typing Loki’s name into the system. “Let me take you to your room. After breakfast at 9am, we can sign paperwork.”

“Thank you,” Murmured Loki, following the omega up a flight of stairs, and down a hall. The omega attendant knocked on one of the doors three times before opening it abruptly, turning on the light. “Marlie? You have a roommate. This is Loki and his son.”

The sleeping omega in bed groaned softly and blinked a few times, sitting up in bed. “Hey.”

Loki nodded politely, noticing that the red-headed omega woman had a little girl nestled against her side. He felt bad about them being woken up so abruptly, and sat down on his bed, gratefully taking the bedsheets, blanket, and pillows that were handed to him by the attendant.

“Get some rest. Breakfast is from 7:30 to 8:30, and the bathroom is down the hall, first door on the right. Do you have any questions?”

Loki shook his head no, so the attendant left the room, letting Loki know that he would speak to him tomorrow after breakfast again.

Now that they were alone Loki sighed, sitting down on the edge of the twin bed that he and Sleipnir would share.

He’d done it.

He was free.

Before he knew it he began to cry, and tried to remain silent, not wanting to disturb the omega on the other side of the room. 

Sleipnir noticed his tears though and frowned, quickly sitting up. “Mommy! What’s wrong?”

Loki sniffed, quickly wiping at his eyes. “Mommy’s just happy, sweetheart. Here, stand up so that I can fix our bed.”

Sleipnir seemed like he didn’t believe him, but otherwise stood up, patiently waiting for Loki to make up the bed. “Is this our new home?”

“Shh,” Shushed Loki, smoothing out the bed. “They’re sleeping. We don’t want to wake them.” He patted at the bed then, wanting Sleipnir to sit down. “Let’s take off your shoes and go to sleep.”

Jumping up on the bed, Sleipnir hummed quietly while Loki took off his shoes, looking around the room. “Is Daddy gonna find us?”

Loki stilled for a moment, trying to calm his still racing heart. “No, sweetheart. We’re safe now.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. Now let’s turn off the light and get into bed. We have a long day tomorrow.” Whispered Loki, kissing Sleipnir’s forehead and climbing into bed after him.

“Can you tell me a bedtime story?”

“Not tonight, sweetheart. Remember, we have to be quiet so that we don’t wake them up.” Answered Loki, playfully pinching at Sleipnir’s side. “Now sleep.”

“Can I have a kiss?”

Loki smiled warmly, love blooming in his chest. Leaning forward, he kissed his son’s scent gland on his neck, tickling him and pretending to gobble him up. 

Sleipnir squealed happily and turned around in Loki’s arms, nestling himself under Loki’s scent gland on his neck. “Night, Mama.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

**✨✨✨**

A warm hand on his shoulder waking him up startled Loki, and he sat up quickly, immediately moving in front of Sleipnir defensively. 

“Whoa, whoa, it’s okay. I’m Marlie, your roommate. I’m just waking you up for breakfast.”

Loki relaxed, running a tired hand through his hair. “Norns, I’m sorry. Thank you, Marlie.”

The woman smiled gently, not offended by Loki’s response. “It’s 8:15. Once it’s 8:30, they stop cooking breakfast, and whatever is left is all that’s there. I know you just got here, so I didn’t want you to miss breakfast.”

“Norns, thank you.” Sighed Loki, reaching down to gently shake his son awake. “Sleipnir? It’s time to wake up, child.”

Sleipnir groaned softly, beginning to open his eyes. “Mommy… I’m hungry.”

“Let’s go eat then. We have to hurry, they’re almost done serving breakfast.”

Sleipnir sat up fully then, looking over at Marlie. “Who is she?”

“She is our roommate. Say hello.” Urged Loki.

“Hi…” Murmured Sleipnir, hiding behind Loki shyly.

Marlie laughed, reaching behind her to encourage her own child out from hiding. “This is Sarah. Sarah, say hello to Loki and his son.”

Her little girl giggled and waved before running back behind her mother’s legs, peeking out after a moment. 

“I can take you to the breakfast hall, if that’s alright?” Asked Marlie, looking down at Loki expectantly.

“Sure, that’d be great, actually.” Replied Loki, playfully rubbing at Sleipnir’s side. “Alright sweetheart, let’s put on our shoes.”

“Okay!” Chirped Sleipnir, hopping off of the bed and running to put on his shoes. Loki stood up and moved to help him, but the child swatted him away, a determined look on his face. “No, Mama. I wanna do it myself.”

Snorting softly, Loki watched Sleipnir put his shoes on and tied them for him before slipping on his own shoes, and taking his son’s hand before following his roommate out of the room and downstairs to the cafeteria. 

“You’ll get a tour of the facility after breakfast, and they’ll tell you when meals and snack times are, but I’ll tell you anyway. Lunch is at 12, dinner is at 6, and snacks are 10, 3, and 8.” Explained Marlie, leading Loki to the breakfast line. “The schedule for the week is posted here. We eat something different every day.”

Loki reached out to grab a tray for himself and Sleipnir. “How is the food?”

It’s… eh. It’s food.” Answered Marlie, grabbing a tray for herself and her daughter. “We’re not allowed to keep food in our rooms, by the way. This place is “three strikes and you’re out”, so we have to be careful about what we do.”

Loki sighed softly, not surprised. Many shelters were often at capacity and were always looking to lessen their numbers, so most shelters had strict rules in place about what could and couldn’t be done.

After finding an empty table, the pair cut up their children’s pancakes and sausage before beginning their own meals, continuing their conversation. “This is a job-readiness shelter, so to live here you have to work. Do you have any work experience?” Asked Marlie, trying to get to know Loki better.

  
  


Loki didn’t count his past forced prostitution as a career, and shook his head, looking away from the woman. “I’m only 21, and… and my husband never let me work. We got married when I was 16, and he never let me have a job.”

Marlie’s face softened when she heard this, and she shot a gentle smile Loki’s way. “That’s okay. They don’t kick out omegas that have no work experience. They’ll most likely start you out at a restaurant as a waiter.”

This wasn’t surprising, but Loki was just grateful that this place would help him find a job. He knew he wouldn’t make much as a waiter, but any money was better than no money. Once he saved up enough he could get himself a studio apartment for himself and Sleipnir, and then… things would begin to pick up.

They would be okay, one day.

**✨✨✨**

After breakfast, Loki and Sleipnir were allowed to access the closet of the shelter, and grabbed a few pants and shirts to get them through the week, thankful to receive new clothes and underwear. They then showered, and met with a caseworker at 9:30, who went over the rules of staying here, and set Loki up with a job, which he was relieved for.

He would begin working at a diner a mile down the road on the night shift, which did worry him. The last thing he wanted was to leave Sleipnir alone at night unattended, but… he needed this job. He told himself that Sleipnir would be okay, and that he could come check on him on his breaks and lunch every night. 

This new life that Loki and his son were embarking on was _terrifying_ , and Loki had no idea what would happen from this point forward. But he knew that above all else, he would make this new life work for them.

He _refused_ to go down without a fight.

**✨✨✨**


	2. A Chance Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> So I'd like to start this chapter off by informing everyone that Thor is a bit darker and edgier than he usually is in my stories, in this one. I will post trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter for all of you, as well.
> 
> This chapter, in particular, has violence, past abuse, mentions of past rape. Tread with caution.

**✨✨✨**

Thor had a secret.

Every Friday night after work he’d head over to the slums of the city, and go straight to a rundown, old-school diner. Once there he would order the same thing; a medium-rare burger, steak fries, a vanilla milkshake, and a root beer.

And he would do this every Friday for one reason, and one reason only. 

_ Loki _ .

He’d first entered this shithole restaurant two months ago, and felt as if he was struck by lightning when he laid his eyes on the omega. He’d actually stopped in his tracks and stared speechless at the man, wondering what an omega like him was doing in a place like this.

He’d originally stopped in the diner to collect a debt payment from the owner, and got sidetracked by Loki. The omega seemed quite nervous when he approached him with a notepad in hand, looking up at him with an unsure look on his face. “Uh… Would you like to sit at the counter or a booth?” 

On a whim, he’d smiled, gesturing for a booth. “A booth, please.”

“Certainly,” Answered the omega, leading Thor over to a table. “Here is a menu. What can I get you to drink?”

“Uh… let me get a rootbeer, please.”

Nodding, Loki wrote this down and made his way to the back, reappearing with Thor’s rootbeer a few minutes later. “Here you go, sir. May I take your order?”

Thor’s gaze finally collided with Loki’s and it sent shivers down his spine when Loki’s sage green gaze held steady with his own, unwavering. “What do you recommend?” 

“Our burgers are quite good,” Answered Loki.

“Give me a medium-rare burger then, with steak fries, and a medium vanilla shake.”

Loki wrote this down, nodding and shooting Thor a soft smile. “Coming right up, sir.”

It had been that very smile that drew Thor in, and although that had been the  _ shittiest _ meal of his life, Thor forced himself to finish it, making sure to give Loki a $100 tip. The omega had been shocked and confused, but Thor insisted that this was the correct amount, letting him know that he was an excellent server.

Never in Thor’s life had he ever been so drawn to someone, and he found himself going to that same diner at midnight every Friday, just seeing Loki putting a smile on his face that lasted all weekend.

That wasn’t weird… right?

He’d tried his best to get to know the omega better, but all of his attempts were brushed off by the omega, his kind words and compliments falling on deaf ears.

And that had never happened before.

Thor was used to everyone saying yes - hell, his job was to hurt and kill people that didn’t do what he said - and he couldn’t recall a time in his life where his attempts to flirt were rebuffed. Loki regarded him the same way he would regard a regular patron, and it… it  _ bothered _ Thor.

Not because the omega didn’t have the right to say no, but because… the omega treated Thor like he already knew the sum of his character and everything that made him,  _ him _ . And there weren’t too many things about him that were good.

Thoughts of Loki would have to wait though, as he was currently busy. He and his men had been stalking a local kingpin in their area, as they’d missed out on a few payments. Odin had been lenient at first - he’d really just had their people look into this before acting - and now that they had all the information necessary to punish the kingpin, his father sent him out to do his dirty work.

Of course… this was nothing new.

His father sent him and his goons out at all hours of the day and night to “tighten up” loose ends in their mob, as the man liked to control it with an iron fist. Absolutely  _ nothing _ happened in their sphere of influence without Odin being aware of it, and when something  _ did _ happen - as things usually did - Thor was sent out to do damage control and mitigate the fallout. 

The current kingpin they were on the prowl for had been unknowingly caught taking a portion of their drugs, and selling them at an inflated rate to Muspelheim before taking a larger cut of the profits for himself, which was a big no-no. He’d been pocketing the change from this and lying to their mob about what had actually happened to the drugs, so Thor was here today to put a stop to it.

“Looks like  _ someone _ has come into some money,” Commented Fandral, an amused smirk on his face as they pulled in front of the drug dealer’s vast beachfront property. Fandral was his personal hitman and one of the members of Thor’s “Warrior’s Three” - this group were Thor’s right-hand men, and also his closest friends - and he always followed Thor out on assignments that were more intense and serious than the average “check-up”. “It doesn’t look like the place of someone who’s fallen on hard times to me.”

Thor hummed in response, looking around at the property as they pulled into the kingpin’s huge driveway. “This house is new, too. It’s a shame we’ll have to ruin it today.”

Fandral laughed again, putting his car in park. “I think I might buy it. The property value will definitely go down after we’re done today, and I’ve always wanted a beach home.”

Snorting, Thor climbed out of the car with him, shutting the door. “You and me both.”

They’d arrived here with a few dozen grunts, as neither of them believed that this would be a complicated mission. It was simple: Get in, gather information, eliminate the threat, and get out. The drug dealing leader seemed to be throwing a party today, as there were cars everywhere, and loud music coming from the back of the property.

A few of the kingpin’s men seemed shocked to see Thor and Fandral here and began to run off, undoubtedly wanting to warn their boss that they were here. Thor pulled out his gun though and shot in front of them, stopping the men in their tracks. “I don’t think so.”

One of the men yelped, immediately dropping to his knees. “S-Sir! W-We didn’t know anything, w-we-”

Fandral kicked the man square in the chest and sent him flying, shoving his hands into his pockets nonchalantly next. “Bullshit. Don’t fuck with us.”

The other two men looked down and squeezed their eyes shut, waiting for their punishment. Thor wasn’t a fan of reckless and unnecessary torture and understood that these men were forced to do this by their boss. That being said though,  _ no one _ in this entire unit of their mob could be trusted right now. 

It wouldn’t serve them good to kill everyone, but Thor knew they needed to make an example out of the kingpin and his top men. The underlings would learn not to cross him and his father again, and things would return back to normal.

He and Fandral made their way into the house then, grateful that their men had already kicked in the door. Everyone within the vast home was panicking as Thor’s men searched the rooms for the wanted men, but the party outside still seemed to be going. Following the sound of the noise, Thor and Fandral headed outside, making their way through the half-naked omegas dancing to the music, and going right up to the DJ.

Pulling out his gun, Thor shot a bullet into the DJ’s speaker system, immediately causing the music to stop. Everyone froze and looked at him in silence, too scared to move. The alpha didn’t care about them though, and searched through the crowd from this vantage point, trying to find the men they were looking for.

He spotted the kingpin attempting to sneak away and cursed, shoving his way through the crowd. He’d be damned if he let this man get away, and began to run, calling out for his men to head towards him as well. The kingpin squeaked when he saw Thor making his way towards him through the crowd and began to shove people out of the way as well, trying to hurry and get to his car.

Thor’s men intercepted him though and tackled him to the ground, holding him in place while Thor approached them. Tutting, the alpha looked down at the man and stepped on the back of his neck, pinning him down further. “Why are you running from me, Anthony? You’re acting as if you have something to hide.” 

The kingpin laughed nervously, trying and failing to break himself out of the hold of Thor’s men. “I-I ain’t got nothing to hide, Boss! I-I’m an open book!”

“Then we shouldn’t have a problem.” Answered Thor, gesturing with his head at his men. “Take him inside. Don’t let him out of your sight.”

“W-Wait, wait, WAIT!” Screamed the kingpin, fighting against Thor’s men. “I can explain! I-I can explain!”

Thor didn’t pay him any attention and looked out, seeing that Fandral and the rest of their men had gathered the 10 other alphas responsible for betraying them. The last thing he needed was an innocent bystander being harmed, so Thor made his way back over to the DJ, grabbing the mic from its stand. “Uh, party’s over, everyone. This house is now mine. Go home.” He apparently didn’t need to tell them twice, as everyone scrambled away, the property clearing out in no more than 5 minutes. 

Now that the property was cleared out and only the mob remained, Thor sighed, gesturing for his men to bring the traitors upstairs where the drug dealing leader was. It was getting pretty late, and if he didn’t hurry this up, he’d miss seeing Loki.

Altogether, they’d managed to gather the kingpin, and the 10 men in following succession that were responsible for betraying the Asgard mob, so Thor moved to look out of the window of the room they were in, sighing softly. “You have to be the  _ dumbest _ kingpin in existence to believe you can be contracted to work for the Asgardian mafia  _ and  _ sell to the Muspelheim mob.”

The alpha in question began to babble, trying to come up with a response. “Y-You’ve got it all wrong, Boss! You see, I-I was trying to bring down Muspelheim from the inside! I’m still on your side!”

“It’s funny you say that, Anthony,” Answered Fandral, stepping in front of the man. “Because a pull of our finances over the last three months show that we  _ should _ be getting 3.2 million a week from you. Instead, we’ve been getting 1.6. Care to explain how that happened?”

The kingpin’s face paled, and he started to stutter, spouting off a poor explanation. “I-I-I-”

Thor turned around then, pulling out his gun. “You know, my father doesn’t like traitors. And… I don’t really like them myself, if I’m to be honest.”

“B-Boss! I-I-” 

Pulling the trigger, Thor shot at a major artery in the kingpin’s left thigh, giving him a dark look. “You reported to my father that profits were low because not as many people were buying from you and your men. Yet, you've bought a new car,  _ and _ a new house. That doesn’t add up.” He growled, narrowing his eyes at the man. “You can’t possibly be that stupid.”

The kingpin screamed and grasped at his thigh, thick,  _ dark _ blood seeping through the small bullet wound onto the wooden floor below. “I-I promise you B-B-Boss it's not what you think!” Gasped the man, clutching at his thigh and beginning to break out into a cold sweat.

Thor could see that the man was losing blood rapidly, and found that as usual, he didn’t care. There were rules and regulations to working with the Asgardian mob, and when you turned your backs against them, they made sure they made you regret it.

Gasping for breath, the kingpin looked up at Thor, fear plain on his face. “W-W-What it seems-s-” He stopped as he began to get light-headed, his words starting to slur together. “I-I…” He finally fell back against the floor then, the grip on his thigh loosening before falling off completely. 

He was dead.

And so would everyone else when Thor was finished with them. 

The 10 men lined up on their knees before him were all in various stages of shock, each of them undoubtedly filled with disbelief. If Thor would kill their boss right off the bat, that meant that they were next. There was no reason for them to be left alive, it seemed.

The dark chuckle that came from Thor then was cold and callous, and it sent chills down the spine of every man present. It wasn’t surprising that his own men were praising the Norns that they weren’t the ones on the receiving end of Thor’s wrath, and it suddenly clicked as to why Thor was often referred to as the “Hammer of God”. If nothing else, he made certain that Odin’s will was done.

The remaining traitors couldn’t even  _ look _ at him, each of them too scared to even  _ breathe _ . Abruptly, Thor turned to look at them all, putting every man in the room on edge. “You know… I want to know something. Do I look stupid to all of you? Is that what this is?”

As expected, no one answered him, so Thor growled, lashing out and kicking one of the traitors square in the chest. “I said do I look stupid to you?!” His voice undoubtedly carried throughout the home, and even Fandral looked away, not wanting to come between an enraged Thor and the guilty party. 

He grabbed that same traitor by the hair and forced him to look up at him, downright  _ menacing _ pheromones beginning to seep out of him. “Look me in my eyes and tell me if I look stupid!” 

The traitor gasped for breath, shaking his head fervently. “N-No, Boss!”

Thor sighed and released the man, wiping off the traitor’s sweat from his hand. “Well, you all must obviously believe I’m stupid. You keep telling me the same lie.” He turned around away then, a deep set frown on his face. “I’m going to ask you all questions. And you’re going to respond. If you lie to me, I will ask you the  _ same _ question again, and again, using more force until you tell me what I want to hear.” He nodded towards the traitor still gasping for breath, then. “Fandral.”

Fandral nodded in return, calling out to his men. “Hold him down.” Immediately, four of their men walked over and held the traitor down for him, waiting for his next order. 

“How long have you been working for Muspelheim?”

“U-Uh… a-about 3 months, sir!”

Fandral tutted, taking out a switchblade and stabbing the man in question in the stomach. “Wrong. Tell me the truth this time.”

The man screamed, writhing in pain on the ground. “I-I’m telling the truth! It’s only been-” He screamed even louder when Fandral stabbed him again in the same spot, convulsing when Fandral twisted the switchblade in the wound. 

“Last chance. How long have you been working with Muspelheim?”

“6 months! We’ve been working with them for 6 months!”

Fandral hummed, finally removing the knife from the man’s abdomen. “Interesting. See, you don’t get hurt when you tell us the truth.”

Thor laughed softly as Fandral interrogated the man, taking his time to observe the other 9 men that were just as responsible. "Don't think you're all getting out of this Scott-free."

The face of every man paled considerably, and one of them laughed nervously, trying to plead with Thor. “I don't think that's quite necessary, Boss. I-I mean, you've made your point very clear. We made a mistake, and it will never happen again. Please, j-just give us a second chance.”

Thor's gun was still out, and he hummed softly, shooting the man square in the center of his forehead and killing him instantly. “Asgard doesn't  _ do  _ second chances, I'm afraid.”

The other traitors began to beg and plead with him then, but Thor drowned it out, successfully killing every last one. They'd already gathered all the information they needed from them, so there was no point in keeping them alive. 

This wasn't even one of their larger drug operating organizations; referring to this man as a kingpin was a big stretch. Sure, they'd lose a few million for a month or two, but that was chump change compared to what they made every day. 

That money wouldn't be missed. 

Putting his gun away, Thor sighed and looked around at the room, knowing that they needed to get it cleaned. “Call the cleanup crew. We can probably sell this place and turn a nice profit.” One of his men nodded and pulled out his phone, so Thor turned to Fandral, ready to leave. “Drop me off at my place, alright?”

“Sure. Why, are you going to go see that pretty little omega?” Teased the beta, shoving at Thor playfully. “He probably thinks you’re so fucking creepy.”

“Creepy is the  _ last _ thing that I am,” Laughed Thor, following the man outside. “I feel bad for him. He’s… different. I know he wouldn’t be working at that diner if he didn’t need to, so I feel like my generous tips are getting him through the week.”

“You can’t save every poor, drugged up omega, Thor.” Chastised Fandral, heading down the steps of the nice beach house and out to his car. “There’s probably a million omegas like him on that side of town.”

Thor laughed softly, knowing that his friend was telling the truth. There were countless omegas that were struggling in this city, and Thor knew that he couldn’t save every single one. But there was just something about Loki that he couldn’t ignore, and if nothing else, he wanted to at least help ease the burden of Loki’s life.

He managed to get to the diner around 2am, his face settling into a frown when he noticed that Loki wasn’t there. There was an elderly beta waitress, a cook, and 3 or 4 customers scattered throughout the run-down diner. Thor honestly wondered why he thought Loki was special enough to even come to this place without fail, every Friday for the past two months.

He was disappointed that the omega wasn’t here though and made his way up to the diner’s counter, calling out to the cook. “Excuse me?”

The cook sighed, setting down his spatula and coming over to Thor. “What can I get ya, blondie?”

“I was actually wondering where the server Loki was. Does he no longer work here?” Asked Thor.

“He’s on his lunch break,” Answered the cook, leaning in a bit and lowering his voice. “The kid’s only 21 and has a 4-year-old son. They live at a shelter down the street, and he goes back to it every lunch break to check on his son.”

Thor was shocked to hear that Loki had a 4-year-old son, feeling quite saddened by the news; the omega was so  _ young _ . “Norns… do you know when he’ll be back?”

“He should be back at 3 am.” 

Thanking the cook, Thor turned to leave, heading back to his car to think. He knew how strict the shelters were, and sighed softly, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel of his car. He knew he couldn’t save every single omega that was hurting or broken in this world, but… he wanted to save Loki.

He couldn’t imagine being a single 21-year-old mother or living in a shelter, and a large part of him was awed at Loki’s perseverance. The resilience that was required to survive a life like this was unparalleled, and he thought harder, beginning to realize what he could do. 

He owned a few dozen companies and properties around the city, and there were numerous people that owed him favors. He knew that he could pull a few strings if nothing else, and made a mental note to reach out to an elderly omega that owned an apartment complex in the area. This wasn’t the  _ best _ side of town, but it would do for now and would look the least suspicious. If the elderly omega reached out to Loki with an offer for a discounted studio apartment, Thor knew that the omega would be more likely to accept. 

Decision made, Thor pulled out of the parking lot, heading back to his place. He had a long weekend ahead of him and told himself that he would stop by and see Loki Monday night instead.

His obsession would have to wait until then.

**✨✨✨**

Loki had been working at the diner for two months when a miracle happened. 

He’d just gotten back from his lunch break and was surprised to see a friendly, elderly omega woman waiting to be seated. Grabbing his notepad from out of his pocket, he smiled politely, offering her a table. “Hello, thank you for coming in. Would you like to sit at the counter or at a booth?”

“A booth would be nice, dear.” Answered the woman, smiling softly at him. 

“Okay, please follow me.” Stated Loki, leading the woman over to a booth against the wall. She was the only customer right now, so after taking her order and submitting it to the cook, he was surprised when she called back out to him.

“Young man!”

Loki made his way back over to her, hoping that she wouldn’t yell at him. “Yes?”

“I was wondering if you were staying at the shelter down the street.”

Loki bit a lower lip, suddenly feeling embarrassed. 

“Oh no dear, please don’t be embarrassed by that.” Murmured the old woman, rushing to reassure him. “I used to work there a long time ago. I own an apartment complex down the street from here, and I usually try to make sure my tenants are omegas from that shelter.”

“Oh, I don’t have enough money saved up to afford an apartment, ma’am.” Sighed Loki, tucking a section of his shoulder-length hair behind his ear. “I have a little boy, so most of my money is going to making sure that he’s okay.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, dear, but… the shelter you’re at has a three-month stay limit, yes?”

Loki nodded slowly, trying to hide the bitter look on his face. “Yes. I should have enough money saved up by the end of this month for a studio.”

“I have a room available for $350 a month. Would you be interested in it?” Asked the elderly omega, a knowingly twinkle in her eyes. “It’s fully furnished.”

Loki felt too scared to trust this, as it sounded too good to be true. “A-Are you certain? I-I-”

The old woman reached out and took Loki’s hands, squeezing them gently. “I was in your shoes once, too. And I’ve made it my life’s mission to help others that were once like me. Let me help you, child.”

Blinking back the tears that were beginning to form in his eyes, Loki laughed softly, the genuine look in the woman’s eyes destroying any of the resistance he was having. “Thank you, ma’am. Thank you.”

The old woman grinned, letting go of Loki’s hands. “I’m about half a mile down the street from here. The complex is called “Cherrygrove Apartments”. Come inside after your shift is over, and you can come to look at the unit before making a final decision.”

The smile Loki shot her was a radiant one, and he nodded, his heart pounding with excitement. A large part of him was terrified that he was being too naive, but… an even larger part of him knew that he could trust this woman. The wisdom and kindness in her gaze was unparalleled, and if nothing else, he knew that this would be an opportunity for him to create a more stable life for Sleipnir.

His shift was 10 pm to 7 am, so after work he picked up his check from his boss and made his way out of the diner, heading down the street to the apartment complex the older woman informed him of. She’d told him to come right when he left work, but… he was still worried that this was all too good to be true.

Sending up a hopeful prayer to the Norns, Loki entered the apartment complex, seeing that the old woman from earlier was in the leasing office behind her desk, busy signing a few documents. Knocking a few times, Loki opened the door once he was told to enter, smiling politely at the woman. “Hello… thank you again, for this opportunity.”

The woman smiled gently, reaching out to shake Loki’s hand. “Of course, dear. My name is Barbara, by the way.” She grabbed a key from her desk then and gestured for Loki to follow her, holding the door open for him. “The available unit is on the 3rd floor. Is that okay?”

“Yes, yes it’s fine,” Assured Loki, following her up three flights of stairs. “I have no complaints.”

Barbara unlocked the door to the apartment once they made it to the top of the steps, motioning for Loki to enter first. “The last omega that lived here moved in with her boyfriend and left everything behind. Of course, you’ll need to provide towels and dishes and the like, but all the furniture is here.”

Loki looked around at the place, not surprised by the small, quaintness of it. In the front of the studio apartment there was a small kitchenette, and a table for two. The bathroom was off to the right, then there was a closet and a queen-sized bed. There wasn’t much here, but it was more than he currently had, and for that he was thankful. “You said that this was $350 a month?”

“Yes,” Answered Barbara, looking around at the place too. “How do you like it?”

“This’ll do,” Answered Loki, turning around to smile at the woman softly. “Thank you.”

“Of course, child. Come, follow me back to my office. We’ll sign the paperwork there.”

Following Barbara back to her office, Loki sent up another hopeful prayer to the Norns, too scared to believe that this was actually happening to him. Once the paperwork was signed though, Barbara let him know that he could move in today after he retrieved his son from the shelter, so Loki thanked her, rushing back to see Sleipnir.

He was worried about leaving his little boy alone every night, but knew that right now, this was the way it had to be. He couldn’t afford to put the child in daycare, as he needed to save up for a better place, on a better side of town. 

Heading into the shelter, Loki made his way upstairs to their room, entering it and sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Sleipnir… it’s time to wake up. Let’s go shower and eat breakfast.”

The little boy made a soft sound, slowly blinking his eyes and beginning to wake up. “Mommy?”

“Yep,” Answered Loki, leaning forward to kiss his son’s forehead. “Mommy has a surprise.”

Sleipnir began to sit up rubbing at his eyes. “A surprise?”

“Mhm. Let’s shower and go eat.”

Sleipnir moved to climb into Loki’s lap, nestling his face into the scent gland on Loki’s neck. “Mommy, I miss you when you go away.”

Loki wrapped his arms around his son and inhaled his adorable scent, feeling terrible for making his son feel this way. “Mommy misses you too, Sleipnir. One day, Mommy won’t have to work so much, and then we can be together every night.”

“Promise?”

“I promise, sweetheart,” Murmured Loki, kissing his son’s cheek. “Now let’s go shower and eat breakfast.”

He moved to set his son on the ground, but Sleipnir protested, wrapping his legs around Loki’s waist. “Nu-uh! Hold me!”

Snorting softly, Loki kissed his son’s forehead, readjusting his hold on him and grabbing a change of clothes for both of them. The pair headed to the bathroom down the hall and showered quickly, changing into fresh clothes, and heading downstairs for breakfast.

After eating Loki informed the shelter that he found a place to stay, and packed up the clothes and items the shelter allowed him to have, thanking them and preparing to walk a mile and a half through this side of town, to the apartment. He didn’t want to pay to take a bus when it was only a 15-20 minute walk and managed to get there safely, which he was relieved about. He didn’t really have anything to defend himself with, so he was thankful that they were able to make it to the apartments safely.

Sleipnir was wide awake now and began to bounce around and run happily, making sure to not stray too far from Loki. “Is this our new house?”

“Yes, sweetheart.” Murmured Loki. “This is our new home.”

Running up the steps of the apartment complex, Sleipnir laughed jovially, jumping off from the highest step. “Mommy, I can fly!”

“Don’t jump off of the stairs, Sleipnir!” Chastised Loki, shooting the boy a warning look. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

The young boy grumbled, crossing his arms and stomping up each step dramatically. “I don’t like you, Mommy.”

Laughing softly, Loki opened the doors to the complex, ushering Sleipnir in. “Well, that’s too bad, because Mommy loves you so so  _ so _ much.”

“More than Daddy?”

Loki could see the hope in his son’s eyes, and he stopped, setting their things down and crouching so that he was eye level with his son. “You are the person I love most in this world, Sleipnir. Mommy doesn’t love Daddy.”

“You sure?” Asked the boy, looking nervous. “I don’t want you to get in trouble…”

This statement broke Loki’s heart, and he reached out, pulling his son into a warm embrace and kissing his temple. “We’re safe now, sweetheart. We won’t get in trouble for loving each other.”

The biggest grin spread across Sleipnir’s face, and he laughed, pulling back and kissing the tip of Loki’s nose. “Then I love you lots! A lot a lot!”

“And I love  _ you _ lots!” Assured Loki, kissing his son’s forehead. “And I always will, sweetheart.”

Sleipnir hummed when Loki pulled away, running over to the stairs and jumping up each step, one by one. “I like you again, Mommy.”

Snorting, Loki grabbed their things and made his way up the steps with Sleipnir, stopping at their door on the 3rd floor and opening it.

His son seemed to be confused by how small it was, and walked into it slowly, looking around. “Mommy? Why is it so small?”

“Because this was all Mommy could afford, Sleipnir.” Sighed Loki, setting their things down on the floor. “Things cost money, and we don’t have a lot of money right now.”

“Why?”

“Because Mommy’s job doesn’t pay him a lot of money.”

Sleipnir hopped onto the bare mattress, continuing to look around at the small studio apartment. “Why?”

“Because waiters don’t earn a lot of money.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s not an important job, Sleipnir. Mommy can’t really work anywhere else right now.” Sighed Loki, pulling bedsheets out of the bag and moving to fix the bed.

“How come?”

“Because you need a high school diploma to get a good job, and a college degree to get an even better one. And I don’t have either of those things.” Answered Loki.

This seemed to be enough for Sleipnir, as the little boy nodded, jumping off of the bed to go look at the bathroom. “Okay.”

Loki was relieved that Sleipnir was satisfied, as the boy usually asked him endless questions of “why” for what seemed like hours.

“Mommy, I’m bored.”

Sighing again, Loki looked around the apartment, knowing that he needed to go shopping for food and some essentials. Luckily, he received his EBT card today, so he had enough money to get groceries, and buy some toiletries for them. “Well, we need some things. Want to go on an adventure?”

Sleipnir perked up, beginning to run around in excitement. “Yeah!”

“We’re going to go to a store to get something. It’s a really important mission. And at the end of it, we’ll get you a toy.” Loki had been saving up to get Sleipnir a few toys, as he felt  _ terrible _ that the young child didn’t even have a teddy bear to his name. 

“Really?!” Gasped Sleipnir, a wondrous look in his eyes.

“Yep! Now let’s begin our adventure. First, we have to take the bus to the store. Remember what Mommy said about the bus?”

“Yeah! I can’t talk to anyone, and I gotta stay next to you the whole time!”

“Good,” Murmured Loki, opening the door to his apartment. “Now let’s go.”

Sleipnir hummed happily and jumped down each step,  _ even _ though Loki told him not to. He felt bad for the boy though and let him do this, as he wasn’t being disruptive. There was no one else here, so Loki didn’t mind the child expressing himself too much.

This new life that he started was one that was so unknown and new to him, and although many aspects of it were worrying, Loki knew that somehow, one day, he and his son would be okay.

**✨✨✨**

Loki was surprised when the golden-haired alpha didn’t come in for the second week in a row. The alpha had come in without fail every Friday night at midnight for the past two months, so Loki did wonder where he went.

He had to admit that the alpha was drop-dead  _ gorgeous _ , and although the alpha always flirted with him, Loki never took him seriously. He knew it was most likely harmless fun for him, and that the alpha probably had a wife and kids waiting for him at home.

Silly fantasies about the hunky alpha aside, Loki knew that he didn’t have the time or the desire to get wrapped up in love again. He just couldn’t risk falling into the same situation he had been in with Svadilfari, as it wasn’t just him anymore. He had Sleipnir to think about, and that little boy meant everything to him.  _ Nothing _ was more important than securing a safe life for himself and his son.

Around 2am on a Monday night - about 2 weeks after he moved into his apartment - the golden-haired alpha finally made an appearance in the small diner, his face lighting up when his gaze met Loki’s.

This admittedly made Loki blush, but he brushed thoughts of happiness and surprise aside, making his way up to the man. “You’d think I’d know your name by now, with how often you come in here.”

Hearing Loki’s voice after going three weeks without it was like music to Thor’s ears, and he grinned, winking playfully at the omega. “My name is Thor.”

Loki smiled as well and extended his hand, shaking Thor’s. “Loki. Can I get you the usual?”

“Please,” Answered Thor, a twinkle in his eyes. He followed Loki over to a table in the back that he usually sat at, feeling much better now that he’d gotten his dose of Loki for the week. He’d heard from his associate that Loki moved into the apartment complex owned by an elderly woman that worked for him and that he seemed to be doing okay, so for that, Thor was thankful.

Loki returned with Thor’s drink a few minutes later and handed it to him, tucking a section of hair behind his ear. “Your food should be ready in a few minutes, sir.”

“Thank you.” Murmured Thor, his eyes shifting to the front of the diner when the door opened, and a small child in night clothes that was the  _ spitting _ image of Loki walked in, a teddy bear cradled in his arms.

“Mama?”

Loki almost fainted when Sleipnir walked through the doors of the diner, and he gasped loudly, rushing to snatch the young boy up. “Sleipnir! Oh my Norns, I-I-, how did you get here?!”

The young boy didn’t seem to understand how dangerous it was to leave the apartment and walk here by himself at night, beginning to giggle. “I wanted to see you!”

Loki’s heart was nearly pounding out of his chest, and he shook his head quickly, trying to calm down. “Sleipnir, you can’t leave the apartment without Mommy! It’s dangerous! You could’ve gotten hurt! Bad people in this world take small children that are by themselves! You can’t walk anywhere you want, Sleipnir, it’s dangerous!”

The little boy teared up, beginning to get scared. “Bad people will take me?”

“If you leave to go  _ anywhere _ without Mommy, it could happen.  _ Never _ leave the apartment with Mommy again, okay?” Admonished Loki, staring down at his son seriously. “What you did was very dangerous.”

“But I didn’t wanna be  _ alone _ !” Cried the child, beginning to hiccup. “A-A lady was yelling, a-and I got scared!”

Loki shook his head, hating himself and the situation he and his son were in. “Sleipnir, you’re safer in the apartment than you are outside of it. You  _ cannot _ leave unless it’s an emergency, like a fire. Do you understand?”

Sleipnir whimpered, burying his face into the scent gland on Loki’s neck and inhaling his calming scent. “... Sorry, Mama.”

“I’m just thankful you’re safe, sweetheart,” Murmured Loki, kissing his son’s temple. He was still in shock that Sleipnir  _ actually _ walked half a mile down the road at 2 am, by  _ himself _ . He currently felt like the shittiest mother in the world, and picked his son up, walking him over to the counter and sitting him down in a stool. “Stay here. Do  _ not _ move.”

The little boy nodded, so Loki sighed, taking a moment to breathe. Thoughts of what could’ve happened to his son kept running through his head, and he just wanted to cry, take his son home, and lie in bed with him until the fear left his body.

But he couldn’t do that. If he lost this job, he didn’t know what he would do. He didn’t finish high school, and he didn’t have a degree. Most shelters only allowed people to stay for 90 days, so he didn’t have a lot of options right now.

Luckily, the owner of this place wasn’t in tonight, so Loki prayed that he would stay away until his lunch break, where he would walk Sleipnir back to his apartment.

“Loki?”

Loki’s head snapped up, and he quickly wiped away the tears that had managed to spring in his eyes, meeting Thor’s concerned gaze. “I-I’m sorry. I’ll go get your food.”

Thor shook his head, not wanting Loki to misunderstand. “The food isn’t important right now.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out $20, handing it to the omega. “Your son might be hungry. Please get him something with this.”

Loki looked back and forth between Thor and the money, almost too scared to take it. Every Friday that Thor came in, the alpha  _ always _ tipped him $100, and now the alpha was giving him more money? “I-I can’t possibly-”

“ _ Please _ ,” Urged Thor, gently handing Loki the bill. “It’s alright.”

Taking the bill, Loki nodded at Thor, feeling a flood of emotions. “Thank you, sir.”

“Please, call me Thor.” Murmured the alpha, a gentle smile on his face. He felt terrible for the omega and found himself shocked that his little boy had managed to walk all the way here, by  _ himself _ , in the dead of night. Nevertheless, he sat back down at his table, scrolling through his phone until Loki returned with his burger 10 minutes later.

He  _ hated _ the food here, but seeing Loki and helping the omega out a bit was the highlight of each week, so he would stomach it and force himself to choke it down.

There weren’t many people in the diner right now, so Thor happened to look up when the bell above the door rang, a group of 6 alphas coming in. He was already finished with his meal and was about to leave, but something in him told him to stay, so he did. There was just something off about the group of alphas that walked in, and Thor didn’t trust them, as they looked dangerous.

It seemed that Loki’s son picked up on this too, as the young boy stopped coloring in his coloring book, looking up and frowning at the men, his eyes immediately shifting to Loki in concern.

These men unfortunately had started to come in every night around 2:30 in the morning last week, so Loki sighed softly before putting a fake smile on his face, making his way over to the table. “Hello, gentlemen. What can I get you?”

“A piece of that sweet ass would be nice,” Commented one of the men, causing his buddies to start laughing, each of them leering at Loki.

Loki hated this moment so  _ much _ , but this was his job, and he needed the money. “What would you gentlemen like to drink?”

“I bet you smell amazing in heat, darling.” Purred another alpha, practically undressing Loki with his eyes. “All of that delicious slick dripping from your-”

“What would you like to drink?” Snapped Loki, losing his patience with these men.

The alpha that he cut off narrowed his eyes at Loki, pissed that the omega snapped at him. “You better watch your fucking mouth, bitch.”

Loki had been called every name in the book by Svadilfari, so he was pretty much immune to this word. “For the  _ third _ time, what can I get you to drink?”

The alpha didn’t seem to like this and abruptly scooted back, standing up and emitting threatening pheromones, the scent causing Loki’s mind to go back to that place, back to Svadilfari.

Suddenly he wasn’t in the diner anymore, he was back at the mansion, back with Svadilfari. It was back when he’d just given birth to Sleipnir. The doctor told him that he couldn’t have sex for 6 weeks, and this pissed Svadilfari off.

Loki was three weeks out of delivery when Svadilfari stormed into his room in the middle of the day, throwing his door open. “Loki?! Where the hell are you?!”

He had  _ just _ gotten Sleipnir to sleep, and felt a passionate rage flow through him when the baby woke back up, beginning to scream and cry. Loki stood up from the rocking chair he’d been sitting in and exited his bedroom, glaring at his husband. “I  _ just _ got him to fall asleep!”

The slap had come so quick, Loki hadn’t even had time to process it. The slap had knocked him off of his feet, and he blinked back in a daze for a few seconds, shocked beyond belief that Svadilfari had actually slapped him while he was holding their newborn son.

“Don’t you  _ ever _ raise your fucking voice at me again, cunt! Do you understand me?!” Shouted Svadilfari, reaching out to grab Loki around the neck. “You don’t fucking tell me what to do! I’m the alpha!”

Sleipnir was wailing by this point in his arms, and Loki managed to get out from Svadilfari’s hold, elbowing the alpha so hard that he heard his nose crack. Loki didn’t care what happened to him, but Sleipnir was an innocent child, and Loki refused to have Svadilfari hitting him while he carried their son.

Svadilfari cursed loudly and fell back, holding his face as blood poured from his nose. “You fucking  _ bitch _ !”

Loki knew that he was in for the beating of a lifetime, and knew that he needed to get Sleipnir to safety. He wasn’t very close to Svadilfari’s other wives, but one of them was quite sympathetic to him and helped apply salve to his body after Svadilfari finished using him as a personal punching bag when Loki didn’t do what he wanted him to do. Although he was scared out of his  _ mind _ , Loki knew he needed to get his son to safety, and jumped away from Svadilfari when the alpha tried to grab him, throwing his door open and running to the room of the wife that was sort of nice to him.

He rushed into their room in a flurry, quickly shoving a wailing Sleipnir into her arms and undoubtedly surprising her. “K-Keep him safe!  _ Please _ !”

The woman babbled in confusion, her face paling when she saw Svadilfari enter the room next. She immediately understood then, pulling Sleipnir closer and running to her bedroom while Svadilfari grabbed at Loki, closing the door and locking it.

Now that he was left alone with Svadilfari Loki felt that he could defend himself, and he wrestled with the alpha on the floor, screaming and trying to break out of his hold. He wasn’t strong enough to break free though and struggled in his husband’s hold when the man grabbed him by his waist, dragging him out of the room.

Loki tried pleading with the man but the alpha wouldn’t hear it, taking Loki over to the vast staircase in their home. Without so much as a breath, he tossed Loki over the banister and to the ground below, not even blinking when Loki’s right side hit the ground first, a sickening  _ crunch _ resounding through the air.

Loki choked when his arm broke, gasping for air. Svadilfari was upon him before he could even process the pain racking through his body, the alpha’s hand around his throat, choking him.

“You’re  _ mine _ , bitch!  _ I  _ saved you! You belong to me!”

Loki’s face began to turn purple, and he tried clawing at Svadilfari’s hands with his left hand, trying to do anything and everything to get the man’s hands from around his neck. 

Svadilfari removed his hands then, bending over until his face was a hair’s breadth away from Loki’s face. “If you ever fucking lay a hand on me again, you’re dead. You and that fucking boy.”

Fighting through the pain, Loki summoned the strength to glare back at the man, downright  _ dangerous _ pheromones pouring from him. “If you ever hit me while I’m holding him again, I will kill you. And I don’t care if I die in the process. I will burn this entire fucking mansion down with everyone in it.”

The pair stared off for what felt like eons before Svadilfari narrowed his eyes at Loki. “Is that a fucking  _ threat _ ?”

“It’s a fucking promise,” Spat Loki, still struggling to breathe. Svadilfari undoubtedly broke a few of his ribs and his arm when he threw him over the banister, and he could only hope that the man would let a doctor help him.

Grinning wildly, Svadilfari pulled away from Loki, picking him up like he weighed nothing. “I knew I fucking loved you for a reason. I’m gonna have fun breaking your spirit.”

Loki had been raped back to back after that, the pain worse than breaking his arms and ribs. 

After that experience though, Svadilfari never hit him while he was carrying their son again.

“Get  _ away _ !” Shouted Sleipnir, shoving the alpha that was standing before Loki in the diner.

Loki inhaled sharply when his son did this, his voice drawing Loki out of that dreadful memory. He snatched Sleipnir away before the alpha could smack him, turning quickly. In that same motion, Loki grabbed a glass ketchup bottle and used it to hit the head of the alpha as  _ hard _ as he could, the bottle shattering against the man’s skull.

The alpha dropped to the floor like a fly, and Loki didn’t have time to process what he just did, or what the repercussions would be. All he knew was that someone had tried to hurt his son, and  _ that _ was unforgivable. 

The other alphas of the group were standing up in a flurry then, and Loki panicked, not knowing what to do. But what he did know was that he would protect his son to the ends of the earth, and if he had to fight five alphas by himself to protect him, then he would fucking do it.

A strong arm yanked him away then, and Loki gasped, shocked to see Thor standing in front of him. The man had quickly punched an alpha so hard that his jaw cracked, and didn’t even blink, moving onto the next one.

Grabbing the shirt of the next alpha, Thor punched him square in the face, breaking the alpha’s nose. He didn’t stop there though, and pummeled him, beating his face into a bloody pulp.

The remaining three alphas zeroed in on him, but Thor was ready for this, only seeing red. One of the alphas brought out a switchblade, but that didn’t hinder Thor in the slightest. Quicker than lightning, Thor grabbed that alpha’s wrist, twisting it so hard it broke. He yanked the alpha towards him in that same motion, swiping the switchblade from his hands and stabbing him right through the eye.

He tore the switchblade out of the alpha’s eye and stabbed the next alpha in the neck in his jugular, immediately pulling it out and cutting the throat of the final alpha.

The scent of pure fear caused Thor to snap out of his blind rage, and he turned, seeing Loki and Sleipnir cowering in fear. Loki was protectively curled in on Sleipnir, his body trembling.

“Shit, Loki,” Murmured Thor, warily approaching the terrified omega. “Loki, they’re gone. I took care of them.” He took another step forward then, his heart breaking when Loki jumped, taking a step back.

This had been the absolute  _ last _ thing that Thor wanted to happen, but he didn’t regret defending Loki and his son and would do it again if he had to.

Loki was scared out of his fucking  _ mind _ , and held Sleipnir even closer, looking up at Thor warily. The pair didn’t speak for what felt like minutes before Loki gulped nervously, standing up on shaking legs. “T-Thank you.”

Seeing Loki like this broke Thor’s heart, and he sighed, tossing the switchblade to the ground. “I’m sorry you had to see that. Are you alright?”

Loki sniffed, beginning to tear up. “No,” He whispered, his voice cracking with emotion. “But it isn’t anything that I haven’t seen before.”

Sleipnir was glaring at Thor fiercely, and Thor was shocked to smell the acrid scent of rage and the fierce desire to protect pouring from the little alpha. Children usually didn’t learn how to consciously emit pheromones until adolescence, so he took a step back, not wanting to scare Loki or the boy further. 

“Let me walk you home, Loki.” Sighed Thor, knowing that he needed to get his cleaning crew in here. The few patrons that were here were a bit shaken up, but otherwise kept to themselves, undoubtedly used to events like this happening regularly, so Thor wasn’t worried about anyone calling the cops. 

Loki really didn’t want to walk home alone right now, so he nodded, rubbing at Sleipnir’s back soothingly. “A-Alright.”

He didn’t know what to think and didn’t even know if he would have his job after the events of tonight, but right now all he cared about was getting his son home, away from this place.

Although scared, he was relieved that Thor had shown up tonight, as he couldn’t imagine having to defend himself and his child against six alphas.

As they left Loki sent up a silent prayer to the Norns, begging that just  _ once _ , things would start to be okay in his life. 

**✨✨✨**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let us know what you think down in the comments :) MissOctober13 and I will both reply to your comments too.


	3. A Leap Of Faith

**✨✨✨**

Loki was still in shock over the events that had just transpired. 

While Thor walked him back to his apartment, Loki was in a daze, and it wasn’t until they were inside and at his door before he realized that he and Thor needed to talk about what they just did, and what they would do, moving forward. 

Stepping into his apartment, Loki gestured for Thor to come in, closing and locking the door behind him. “Sorry that it’s so small. Please, sit down at the table.”

Thor looked around at Loki’s place in surprise, feeling a multitude of emotions swirl through him. He wanted nothing more than to take Loki away from this place, and to set him up in the nicest apartments in the city, without a care in the world. He didn’t want to do that in the hopes that it would make Loki fall in love, he just… he just wanted the omega to finally catch a break in life, and to be okay.

Taking a seat at the table, Thor let out a tired sigh, wanting to reassure Loki that he would take care of everything. “I’ll have my men clean up the diner, Loki. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

Loki snapped his head up, narrowing his eyes at the man. “What?”

Thor usually tried to never reveal his status as a mob member - his current fling had no idea that he was in one - but he had a feeling that Loki suspected he was a member right from the beginning. He still felt uncomfortable revealing his status to Loki though and took a few seconds to think about how he wanted to do this. “There are people that work for me, that take care of these sorts of things.”

Loki couldn’t say he was surprised, and kissed Sleipnir’s temple, continuing to run his hand up and down his son’s back in a soothing fashion. “Who do you work for?”

“Loki, I can’t-”

“I just need to make sure you’re not the enemy, Thor,” Interrupted Loki, a fierceness in his gaze that surprised the alpha. “My son and I barely escaped from my husband with our lives. I need to make sure that you aren’t affiliated with him.”

Now it was Thor’s turn to be shocked. “Wait, you’re from the mob?”

“Unfortunately,” Sighed Loki, looking away from the man. “So depending on who you work for, the events of tonight could put us both in danger.”

“Are you still affiliated with your old family?”

“No.”

The answer was spat out of Loki’s mouth harsher than he intended, and he softened his tone - if only for Sleipnir - looking back up at Thor. “I would rather die than be associated with them again.”

Thor was still trying to piece together who Loki was and which family he hailed from, without having the omega directly say it. “You do realize that you’re not safe if you’ve escaped from your family? Mob members are members for life.”

Loki narrowed his eyes in distrust, feeling on edge. “I am over a thousand miles away from them. I doubt that they’re scouring the country looking for me. And if they are… if they are, they will have to keep searching. I’ll move my son and me to a different country if I have to, just to keep us safe.”

There was always a bounty on escaped or excommunicated mob members regardless of their rank, and Thor knew that if anyone else found out that Loki was mob-affiliated, he’d be in serious danger. “You need protection.”

This wasn’t what Loki expected to hear, and he drew back a bit, looking at Thor in confusion. “Who will protect me? Once a family learns who I am, I can guarantee that they’ll sell me back to my husband. I’m a liability, Thor, no matter where I go. My best chance of making a normal life for myself and my son is to continually get as  _ far _ away as possible from my old family, and to stay as far away as possible from anyone involved in that life.”

The words were coming out of Thor’s mouth before he could truly think about the gravity of them. “I’ll protect you.”

Loki inhaled sharply,  _ floored _ that Thor was willing to do this. “It’s too dangerous to protect me. Your wife and children and everyone you love will be in danger. Do you truly expect me to believe you can commit to protecting myself and my son for the rest of our lives? We’re complete  _ strangers  _ to you. Why would you stick your neck out for a random omega and their son?”

Thor honestly didn’t know why he was so willing to protect Loki from harm, but he always trusted his instinct; it never led him astray. “You’re pretty deep in my family’s region of influence, now. Someone would  _ really _ have to want you back to be willing to travel into another mob’s territory.”

“He could demand to have me taken back,” Answered Loki. “If my husband threatened a war between the two families, what then? Would you still protect us and keep us safe?”

Thor needed to know who Loki was exactly and sighed, leaning back against the wall of Loki’s kitchenette. “Just who are you, Loki?”

Loki tutted, refusing to reveal who he was. “No. I’m not putting my son and me at risk. I can’t tell you.”

The pair stared off with each other for some time before Thor sighed again, deciding to just go for it. “Loki… I am the Underboss of the Asgardian Mafia. The  _ only _ person that is more powerful than me in this mob is my father.” He continued to speak even though he noticed the shock and disbelief on the omega’s face, wanting him to know that he  _ would _ hold true to his promise to protect him. “Is the person you’re running from high enough in the family ranking to truly call for a mob war over you?”

Loki bit his lower lip, taking in a shaking breath. “Yes.”

“Just tell me what family you’re from, Loki. I can protect you from them.” Pressed Thor, wanting to know so that he could better understand the situation. 

Loki was adamantly against this though and shook his head, refusing. “No. Absolutely not. Either you hold true to your word and protect my son and me, or we go our separate ways, and I keep doing everything in my power to protect my son and me.”

If Loki was this determined to not say where he was from, or who he was trying to escape from, that meant that Thor had to take a gamble on this omega. If he held true to his word to protect Loki, he could be putting himself and his men at risk. But he also knew that Loki being in his region of influence posed a danger, whether he was protecting Loki or not.

If members of Loki’s old family were tracking him, that meant that Thor had two options: either protect Loki, or tell him to get out of the states under his control. And Thor wasn’t too keen on the second option. “I’ll hold true to my word. I’ll protect you.”

Loki still didn’t trust Thor, and although he was grateful that the alpha saved him and his son earlier, he was still wary. Thor was an underboss, and the absolute last thing Loki needed was to be dragged back into the mafia. “Why?”

“Because if I don’t protect you, that still leaves my men at risk. If your family is attempting to track you down, that means that they are trespassing into  _ my _ territory. If they do that and  _ kill _ you, or harm any of my men or do any type of damage to any of the properties I own, they’re risking a bitter feud. If I want to avoid this happening, the most logical choice would be for me to pack you up on the next bus out of state with instructions to never come back.”

Loki remained silent, not knowing what to say. Right now he was at Thor’s mercy, and he  _ hated _ it, as he honestly didn’t know what he was going to do or where he was going to go if Thor told him to leave. “I understand that I have no right to ask you for protection or asylum; especially as an outsider. If you would be willing to give me at least three months to save up money, my son and I will leave the region, and head somewhere else.”

Thor didn’t want Loki to leave, as he knew that once he did, he couldn’t guarantee that Loki would be safe, or that he wouldn’t be kicked out of that region too if they learned that he was an escaped mob member. “That won’t be necessary, Loki. I will protect you.”

The last thing Loki wanted was to be indebted to another mob, and he teared up, hating that his life was playing out like this. “I can’t afford to be indebted to another mob, Thor. I just can’t.”

Thor began to think of what could be done, as his hands were pretty much tied. The only thing that he could truly do was make the promise to protect Loki personally, and provide for him, without Odin’s knowledge. Of course, this was a challenge in and of itself, and he thought long and hard about what could be done to protect Loki, without making Loki “sell his soul” yet again. “I don’t know if I can protect you the way you need to be protected, without you swearing fidelity to my family.”

Shaking his head, Loki let out a shaky breath, not knowing what he was going to do. “I can’t do that.” He looked back up at Thor then, the look in his eyes breaking Thor’s heart. “Just give me three months to save up. I-I’ll find another shelter, in a region not under your control.”

This wasn’t something Thor wanted, as he knew that Loki would spend his entire life on the run like this if he didn’t find a way to help him today. “Give me three months, Loki. Three months to prove that you can trust me, and my word. In that three month period, I’ll set you up somewhere nicer than this, get you a job in a better area, give you a stipend - just as if you were a member of my mob. In that three month period, you’ll get the full perks of being a member of my mob, without any commitment. At the end of that three month period, you can make the decision about whether or not you want to join us, or risk being on your own. I won’t force you to leave my region of influence if you choose to not join my mob, but… I can’t promise that you’ll be protected after this three month period, either.”

This was a more gracious proposal than Loki ever imagined being able to receive, and he stared at Thor in shock, terrified that this was too good to be true. “... You won’t kick me out of your territory?”

“No.”

“And you’re willing to protect me for three months, and help me get on my feet? With no commitment or indebtedness to your mob?”

“Correct,” Answered Thor, knowing that he would have to keep this a secret from his father at all costs. “What do you say?”

“I… I accept,” Sighed Loki, knowing that he didn’t have any better options. If he remained here and refused Thor’s protection, he and his son would be at risk every day. If he accepted Thor’s offer, then he would have a chance to save up even more money and live with protection, _ without _ committing himself to Thor’s mob.

Thor was honestly relieved that Loki accepted his offer, as he could only imagine how hard Loki’s life would be had he not done so. He knew that his offer was more than generous, but… his gut was telling him to help this omega, so he would do it. “I’ll put you and your son in a hotel for the night, and meet with you in the morning to discuss things further. Unless… you want to stay here?”

Being put in a hotel for the night sounded nice, but Loki didn’t want to intrude on Thor any more than he already was. “Sleipnir and I will just stay here for the night. Um… please come back tomorrow, when you have time. I’d like to discuss the terms of our agreement further.”

Thor wasn’t surprised or offended and understood that Loki was just trying to protect himself and his son, in the only way he knew how. “I will. I’ll… see myself out, then.”

Loki nodded and turned his attention to comforting his son, so Thor stood to leave, closing Loki’s front door and sighing. He didn’t know how he was going to keep this from his father but knew he didn’t have a choice. If Odin  _ ever _ found out who Loki was, Thor knew that the man would demand that he be forced to leave the region, and this was something that he would never forgive himself for.

He just couldn’t understand why he was so hung up on the omega, but he  _ was _ , and that was the most infuriating part of it all. He thought long and hard on his way home, wondering how this would all go down. 

If Loki did end up joining their family, that would mean that there would always be the risk of a mob war beginning between Asgard and whoever Loki’s old mob was.

He wanted nothing more than to shower or sleep, then, and pulled into his designated spot in the parking garage of his high-rise apartment building, heading upstairs to his penthouse suite. 

Thor was surprised to see that the lights were on and frowned in confusion, as he was certain he’d turned them off before leaving. “Jane?”

“I’m in here, Thor!”

Following the sound of his girlfriend’s voice, Thor was a bit confused as to why she was here in his home this late at night. “Don’t you have work tomorrow?”

Jane stood up from the couch she was on, making her way over to the alpha. “The professor isn’t feeling well, so the office is closed until further notice.”

Humming softly, Thor loosened his tie, just wanting to get in the shower and climb into bed. “I had a long day. Excuse me.”

Jane stopped him though, quickly reaching out to take his hand. “Is this blood?”

Thor looked down at his knuckles, seeing that his fists were a bit bruised and still coated with the blood from the alphas he’d beaten up. “I went to the gym and sparred today. It’s nothing to worry about.”

Smirking, Jane pulled him closer and stretched up to kiss him, amused with the alpha. “You sure you aren’t a seedy man working for the underworld?”

Thor pulled his hand away, not in the mood for jokes. “I’m really tired, Jane. I’m going to shower and head to bed.” He didn’t wait for a response and headed to his bathroom, stripping himself of his clothing and letting the warm water of the shower wash over him.

He didn’t know how he was going to keep what he was doing for Loki from his father, and sighed, leaning back against the wall of his shower. He was sticking his neck out for a literal  _ stranger _ , a stranger that was mob affiliated with someone that was either an Underboss or a Boss, a stranger that could  _ literally _ wreck his life, and everything in it, and… and he didn’t care.

And that was strange.

Thor had been in the mob for as long as he could remember; it’d been his whole life. The Asgardian mob had existed since the conception of their country, and the mantle of “Boss” had been passed down from father to son since the beginning. Ever since the day he was born, Thor had known he would be a mob member. And the day he turned 18, he was formally inducted into the Asgardian mob, groomed to be the next boss.

He’d killed someone for the first time at 14, he’d been around blood and violence and desolate  _ heartbreak _ since before he could walk, and one day, he’d just gone numb to it. The dead bodies, the murder, the prostitution, the drugs… they were all just everyday things in his life. No one was really important. 

So to care this much for an omega, an omega that he  _ barely _ knew, was confusing to him. There were hundreds of omegas in this city that were just like Loki, single and defenseless, and… and  _ alone _ . And he walked right past them every day, without so much as a blink.

But when it came to Loki… there was just something about the man that made it impossible to ignore him.

A knock on the door of the bathroom drew Thor from his thoughts, and he huffed, calling for his girlfriend to enter.

Poking her head in, Jane made her way over to him, looking up when he turned off the shower and stepped out of it. “Are you truly okay, Thor? You’ve been so distant lately.”

Thor frowned, not really in the mood to discuss this. “Work has been tough, Jane. I had a long day… I just want to go to sleep.” He brushed past her and grabbed his towel, beginning to dry off. 

He’d been with Jane for a little over 4 months, and while they weren’t living together, she did come over quite often. He couldn’t say he loved her - hell, he knew that he was beginning to lose interest - and wondered when he would just end things. She was a nice girl, and the last thing he wanted was to string her along.

“You know, you’ve been moody, lately. And I don’t appreciate it.” Stated the beta woman, crossing her arms. “What’s going on, Thor?”

Exhaling softly, Thor exited the bathroom, not surprised that she was right on his tail. “As I said, work has been tough. I just want to sleep, Jane. We can talk in the morning.”

The beta pouted, disbelief on her face. “You’re  _ really  _ going to bed?”

“Yep,” Answered Thor, slipping on a pair of night pants and climbing into bed. “I’ll take you out to brunch tomorrow to make up for it.” He didn’t wait for her response and called out to the system that ran his penthouse. “Bjorn; dim the lights, and set the temperature to 67 degrees.”

“Certainly,” Answered the system, doing as Thor said.

He tried to not bristle when Jane climbed in bed too and nestled into his side, telling himself that he needed to do better. Even if he was still unsure about how serious he wanted to make their relationship, that didn’t mean that he had to be rude. Jane really was a nice person, and although they did butt heads, she had a genuine heart. 

Sleep didn’t find him that night, unfortunately, and he decided around 9 am that he would head out to Loki’s place. They needed to make some concrete plans, and he really wanted to get the omega out of the slums.

Jane stirred as he dressed and yawned, looking up at him curiously. “Going somewhere?”

“I’m meeting up with a friend for work.”

The beta hummed, sitting up in bed. “You know, you’re always so vague about what you do for work.” She raised an eyebrow at him coyly then. “I always find myself wondering if you’re some super-rich CEO that's just  _ waiting _ to bend me over his desk.”

Thor snorted, pulling on a shirt. “Something like that.”

“Weren’t you supposed to take me out for brunch?”

_ Shit _ .

Thor really didn’t have time for this and sighed, looking over his shoulder at the woman. “Raincheck. I’ll take you out Thursday for dinner. I’m really busy, today.” He wasn’t surprised when Jane’s face fell, and he sighed again, making his way over to her. “My job is really important to me, Jane. If you’re wanting something serious with me, you’re going to have to accept that.”

“What if I did, Thor? What if I did want something serious?” Asked Jane, setting him with a fierce look. “What if I said I loved you?”

Thor widened his eyes in shock, feeling quite uncomfortable. “... I think we should end things now, Jane. I’m not interested in something serious. And you’re a good woman. I don’t want to lead you on.”

Jane inhaled sharply, disbelief spreading across her face. “...What?”

“I truly don’t want something serious, Jane. And I refuse to lead you along.”

The beta teared up, shaking her head in confusion. “Is it because I’m not an omega? Because we can’t bond?”

While these things were true about their union, it wasn’t why he was ending things. “No. But you’re a good woman, and I don’t see the point in being together if you’re wanting something serious.” He felt bad, but… he was definitely not interested in being in a serious relationship right now.

He knew it was expected for him to settle down soon, but he knew for a fact that Jane would never truly accept him or his lifestyle. And because of that, their relationship had been doomed from the start. At the end of the day, he was a mob member, and whoever he ended up settling down with needed to be able to respect that, and be willing to join him. And most of all, they needed to be strong enough to not succumb to the pressures of mob life.

He couldn’t make that mistake again.

Wiping at her eyes, Jane abruptly stood from the bed, grabbing her things. “You know what? Fuck you. I should’ve known you were going to do this. That’s why you’re fucking lonely and almost 40. Cuz you’re a piece of shit!”

Thor couldn’t say he was surprised by the outburst and watched as Jane left the room and his penthouse, slamming his front door closed. It was an unfortunate situation but… this was for the best. It was too stressful trying to keep his mob life separate from his life with her.

He’d have one of his housekeepers gather the things that Jane didn’t grab and send them back to her place, so he stood from his bed, making his way out of the door once he was certain that enough time had passed so that he wouldn’t run into the woman on the way out of the building. 

He then made his way all the way across town to the slums, praying that his plans concerning Loki would work. He’d thought about what to do and how to carry this out on the way over here, and finally felt like he had a plan. There were many,  _ many _ people that owed him favors, and he was able to reach out to one of them on the ride over to secure a place and a job for Loki.

Parking on the side of the street, Thor locked his car and made his way up the steps of Loki’s apartment complex, heading to the third floor and knocking on Loki’s door. “Loki? It’s me, Thor.”

There was a pause before the door was unlocked and pulled open, with Loki ushering him in quickly. “I didn’t think you’d actually show up.”

Frowning, Thor made his way over to Loki’s table in the kitchenette, sitting down. “Why? I’m a man of my word.”

Loki tucked a section of hair behind his ear, looking away from the alpha’s inquiring gaze. “I’m not used to men like you helping people like me.” He sighed softly and made his way over to the table too, sitting down. He and Sleipnir didn’t really sleep too well last night, so the little boy was still asleep in bed, oblivious to the world around him.

“Last night, you told me that you would protect my son and I for three months, and in that three month period, I needed to decide if I would join your mob and continue to receive your protection, or to not join and remain unprotected, with the threat of being forced to leave your region of influence if anyone else in your family found out about me. Is this correct?”

Thor nodded, growing serious. “Yes. I reached out to an associate, and he said that he has an available unit for you. It’s on a better side of town, and there is a nice cafe that you can work at that is right below the place. The owner of the cafe owes me a few favors, so… you should have no issue getting employed there.”

Loki was still trying to understand why Thor was helping him so much and looked over at him, his tone light yet cautious. “Why are you helping me?”

“Because if I am correct, you have been dealt the  _ worst _ lot in life. And I have the ability to at least help you get on your feet; even if I have nothing to gain from it.” He sighed then, figuring that Loki wanted to hear something more honest. “I do so much wrong in my life, Loki. Sometimes it’s nice being able to… not do what I do for a living.”

Loki’s gaze softened, and he nodded, immediately understanding what Thor meant. “Well… thank you. I don’t know what I’m going to do three months from now, but… I-I’m still thankful that you’ve decided to help me.”

Humming softly, Thor shot the omega a gentle smile in return, glad that they were on the same page. “Is there anything from this apartment that you would like to take with you?”

Looking around, Loki realized that it would be better if he left these things here for the next omega that needed to turn their life around. “Is the new apartment furnished?”

“Not yet. But I can arrange to have furniture dropped off there.” Answered Thor, pulling out his phone. “I’ll stop and get us breakfast; why don’t you and your son get ready.” Loki seemed unsure and nervous, so Thor stood, figuring that the omega wanted some privacy. “I’ll be waiting outside, downstairs.”

Loki thanked Thor, waiting until the alpha left before moving to wake up Sleipnir. The young boy had been scared out of his mind yesterday and was convinced that Svadilfari was going to come and take them away. “Sleipnir? It’s time to wake up, sweetheart.”

The little boy stirred, beginning to wake up. “Mm… Mama?”

“I’m here, sweetheart. It’s time to wake up.”

Sleipnir groaned and began to stretch out in bed, opening his eyes completely. “Are bad men gonna get us today?”

Loki shook his head fervently, not wanting his son to think this. “No. The nice man from last night is going to help us and protect us for a little bit.”

The young alpha’s face immediately darkened. “Is he the man from last night?”

“He’s the man that saved us, Sleipnir.” He leaned forward then, gently kissing his son’s forehead. “We’re going to move somewhere else, today, okay?”

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Sleipnir stared back at him, not understanding. “Why? Did Daddy find us?”

“No, no sweetheart. Daddy didn’t find us. But… the nice man from last night felt bad for us, and is going to help us for a few months.” Explained Loki, rubbing at his son’s back. “And he said that he would get us breakfast, today. Let’s get dressed.”

It seemed that Sleipnir was still unsure of this plan, but he did as Loki asked, which the omega was thankful for. It didn’t take them too long to get ready, after packing up the few toys that he’d been able to buy Sleipnir, Loki grabbed his hand and made his way downstairs, turning in his key. He explained to the old woman in charge of this place that he would be living somewhere else for three months, but he might return here. She was more than understanding, and let him know to reach out to her if things changed.

Thor was waiting outside for him and looked up when Loki and his son appeared, putting his phone away. “Are you ready to go?”

“We are,” Answered Loki, the grip on Sleipnir’s small hand tightening nervously. “A-Are you sure you want to help us?”

“Yes.” 

The answer came so quickly that Thor didn’t even have time to be shocked by it. Over this period of three months, anything and everything concerning Loki had been surprising to him, and for what seemed like the  _ millionth _ time today, he wondered just why he was so keen on helping Loki; especially since he had nothing to gain from doing so.

“Well… again… thank you.” Murmured Loki, looking away nervously. He still couldn’t help but think that this was all a trap, or that he was being too naive. But he didn’t have a choice, really. Being attacked last night was one of the scariest moments of Loki’s life, as if Thor hadn’t been there, he and his son would’ve been harmed. Thor’s offer to protect him for three months was a  _ godsend _ , as Thor was saying that in the event Loki’s old family finds him, Loki would have the protection of Thor’s mob, and wouldn’t have to worry about defending himself. 

And this meant everything.

He set Sleipnir in the backseat of Thor’s car, a bit worried since the boy didn’t have a booster seat. He didn’t want to say anything though, as Thor had already done more than enough. Instead, he sent a quick prayer up to the Norns and kissed his son’s forehead, strapping him in before closing the door. 

He climbed into Thor’s car next, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Being in a luxurious car like this brought back memories, memories that he didn’t want to remember, and he bit a lower lip, taking in a shuddering breath. He needed to calm down.

“Are you alright?”

Thor’s concerned voice cut through the haze of Loki’s mind, and he looked up, staring at the alpha curiously. “... I’m fine.” Loki wasn’t used to alphas caring about him, and he didn’t know how to feel about Thor’s simple question. It made him sad that his life was so fucked up that he was genuinely shocked when an alpha asked him a simple question. 

“Mommy? I’m hungry…” Groaned Sleipnir, beginning to kick the back of Loki’s seat. “I’m  _ hungry! _ ”

Now was not the time for one of Sleipnir’s tantrums, so Loki sighed, looking back at his son. “We’re going to get something to eat now, Sleipnir. Be patient.”

Sleipnir kicked the back of Loki’s chair again, huffing. “I want pancakes!”

_ Norns _ , Sleipnir was the best, most  _ adorable _ child at times, and sometimes… sometimes the little boy was almost too much for Loki to handle. “Sleipnir, stop. We’re going to go get some breakfast now, then we’re going to move into a new place, and we can spend the rest of the day coloring and playing with your toys. Does this sound fun?”

“Yes…” Grumbled the little boy, his small face turned down in a frown.

Thor had a soft smile on his face as he pulled away from the curb and began to drive, heading towards the part of the city that Loki’s new apartment would be in. It was nowhere  _ near _ Thor’s penthouse, so the alpha hoped that by doing this, Odin could be kept in the dark.

“The cafe you’ll be working at serves pancakes during their breakfast hours. Would you like to eat there?”

Loki bit a lower lip, looking over at the alpha. “I only have enough for Sleipnir to eat, and there isn’t a lot there… could we go somewhere cheaper?”

“I’m paying.”

“Thor-”

“It’s quite alright, Loki,” Answered Thor, keeping his voice light. “I said I would protect you and treat you like a member of my mob for three months. This is a part of that. Asgardian mob members take care of their own.”

“Alright… well… thank you. Again.”

Thor hummed softly and continued to drive, not knowing what to say to Loki to break the ice. Personal attachments aside, they were still strangers, and Loki didn’t trust him one bit, so that didn’t make it any easier to speak to the omega. 

They all ended up riding together in silence and arrived at the cafe 15 minutes later, with Sleipnir complaining loudly about how hungry he was the whole time. Thor found it amusing - albeit slightly annoying - and Loki was obviously not amused with the young alpha’s behavior.

Loki couldn’t be too upset though, as he knew that Sleipnir was most likely acting out because he was stressed about their situation. The young boy had been through more in his 4 years of life than any child should ever experience, and Loki felt so guilty at times, as he just wanted to give his son the world.

And the fact that he couldn’t do that right now, hurt him more than anything.

Nevertheless, he took his child’s hand and made his way into the cafe with Thor, knowing that somehow, someway, things  _ would _ be okay one day in his life.

A nice waiter met the pair and led them over to an empty table, immediately handing Sleipnir a complimentary coloring book and crayons. “What can I get both of you to drink?”

“I’ll take water and a mimosa, please.” Answered Loki, pulling out his ID. He usually didn’t drink too much, as the times where he was apart from Sleipnir were few and far between. But after the night and morning they had, he needed this.

Thor laughed softly at Loki’s order and on a whim decided to get the same thing. He wasn’t a fan of fruity drinks but didn’t want something hard in the morning. “I’ll take the same thing, please.”

“And for your son?”

Sleipnir frowned, looking up at the waiter. “He’s not my Daddy.”

Loki huffed, shooting the young boy a look. “Some apple juice, please.”

“I don’t want apple juice!”

“Then what do you want, Sleipnir? Either apple juice, grape juice, or orange juice.”

The child frowned deeper, seriously contemplating this. After a few seconds, he looked up, grinning at Loki. “Grape juice!”

The waiter laughed softly, writing this down. “Thank you; I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

Once the waiter was gone, Loki shot his son another look, crossing his arms in frustration. “Sleipnir, what has gotten into you, today?”

The little boy humphed, glaring at Thor. “I don’t like you…”

Thor laughed at the blatant statement, not offended in the slightest. “Norns… I’m sorry, Sleipnir.”

Loki was not amused and furrowed his brow, deciding that he and the young child needed to have a talk. “Sleipnir, follow Mommy outside for a moment, okay?”

Thankfully, the little boy listened, and put down his crayons, jumping down from his chair and taking Loki's hand. Once they were outside Loki sat them down on a bench nearby, trying to be patient with the alpha. “Sleipnir… what’s going on? We’ve talked about this, you can’t be mean to people. It makes them sad, and you don’t want to make others sad.”

Sleipnir seemed to feel remorseful, and looked up at Loki, beginning to tear up. “I don’t want him to hurt you…”

Blinking in confusion, Loki scooted closer to his son, wrapping a comforting arm around him. “Why would he hurt me, Sleipnir?”

“Because alphas are mean…” Murmured the young boy. “Daddy hurt you, and he was an alpha…”

Loki’s heart broke, and he pulled his son into his lap, kissing the young boy’s temple. “Sleipnir… Thor isn’t going to hurt Mommy. He just wants to help us.”

Sleipnir shot him a confused look. “Why?”

“Because he feels bad for Mommy, and… and he’s nice.”

“Nu-uh! He hurt those other alphas last night! He’s bad, just like Daddy!” Argued Sleipnir. “I don’t want him to hurt you!”

“Sleipnir, Thor was protecting us from those mean alphas. He won’t hurt us.”

“But what if he does?”

Loki knew that Sleipnir had every right to be scared, and wasn’t upset with his son for feeling this way. “Sweetheart… Mommy is trying his best to keep you and I safe. And… and I can’t do that on my own. But I will always protect you, and I will never let anyone hurt you. Okay?”

His son searched his eyes for a few seconds before nodding, leaning forward and nestling into the scent gland on Loki’s neck. “Mommy… you said the same thing about Daddy. But Daddy still hurt us.”

Hearing this  _ shattered _ Loki’s heart and he actually teared up, feeling like utter shit. “Sleipnir… Mommy will never let anyone hurt us. And… and I will always try my best to keep us safe. Mr. Thor is here to help, and… and I need you to know that whatever happens, Mommy will always love you, and protect you.”

“And I’m gonna protect you too, Mama!” Stated the young boy, pulling away to kiss Loki. “And if Mr. Thor tries to hurt us, then I’m gonna hurt him!”

Snorting softly, Loki returned Sleipnir’s kiss, tickling his side. “I love you, sweetheart. I know that things are scary right now, but… one day things will be okay. And we’ll be so happy that we’ll forget all about Daddy.”

Sleipnir giggled, the laugh just causing Loki’s heart to melt. “And then we can live in a big castle! And I can find a new Daddy!”

Laughing, Loki stood up from the bench he was sitting on, plastering Sleipnir’s face with kisses. “And then we’ll live happily ever after.”

“And I’ll have lots of brothers and sisters that are nice to me!”

“I don’t know about  _ that _ ,” Snorted Loki, entering the restaurant again. “Right now you’re just enough for Mommy.”

Thor looked up as Loki approached their table, relieved that it seemed his son was in a better mood. “I didn’t know what you wanted, but I ordered Sleipnir some pancakes since he was hungry. They should be out any moment.”

Loki found a soft smile spreading across his face, and he set Sleipnir down, genuinely touched by Thor’s small act of kindness. “Norns, thank you… Sleipnir, say thank you to Mr. Thor.”

The young alpha pouted, begrudgingly looking at Thor. “... Thank you.”

“Of course, Sleipnir.” Murmured Thor, looking down at the young boy’s drawing. “What are you coloring?”

“None of your business!” Chirped the small alpha, continuing to color.

Loki was  _ so _ embarrassed, and pinched at the bridge of his nose, rushing to apologize. “Norns, Thor, I’m sorry. That’s something a character on his favorite tv show says. I swear he doesn’t mean anything rude by it.”

Thor wasn’t offended, as he sort of understood why Sleipnir was wary to warm up to him. He didn’t know everything that Loki had been through but knew that it had to be rough if he and his son weren’t traumatized by the events in the diner last night.

Thankfully, the waiter returned with Sleipnir’s pancakes and took Loki and Thor’s orders, promising to have them out in a few minutes. Loki reached out to cut up Sleipnir’s food, but the boy moved away, a determined look on his face. “No, Mama! I wanna do it myself!”

The silverware he was given was plastic, so Loki wasn’t worried about him hurting himself. “Alright, alright.”

Seeing Loki interact with his son was nice, and Thor was awed by the younger omega’s tenacity. Just looking at Loki, you would never imagine that he or his son have been through the things that they’ve been through, and he was honestly amazed that the pair were able to be here laughing and joking today, after the events of last night.

Their food arrived then, so the pair made light conversation, with Thor trying to help Loki feel more comfortable. It was…  _ nice _ , being able to just have a genuine conversation with someone that didn’t revolve around politics, business, or money.

After paying for breakfast, Thor arranged to have Loki speak with the owner of this cafe so that he could sign any new hire paperwork. Loki didn’t want Sleipnir to distract him, so the little boy and Thor were sitting at a table a few feet away from the omega, where he could keep a watchful eye on his son.

Thor was amused that Loki’s son continued to glare at him or shoot him daggers, and decided that he would try and break the ice, and get to know him better. “How old are you, Sleipnir?”

“4.”

“That means you’ll be starting school next year. Are you excited?”

“Mommy says I can’t go to school yet, because we might have to leave.”

This made Thor feel quite sad, and he told himself that even if Loki refused to join his mob at the end of this three month period, he would do what he could to help the omega set up a life for himself. There was just something about Loki and his son, and Thor couldn’t accept just doing nothing when it came to the pair.

If nothing else, he wanted to help them, and maybe restore a bit of his good karma.

“I don’t like you.”

Snorting softly, Thor sipped at his drink, staring over at the boy. “Why?”

“Because you’re an alpha. And alphas are mean.” Stated Sleipnir, continuing to color. “And I don’t like alphas. They always hurt Mommy.”

Thor’s smile faltered when he heard this. “Norns… I’m sorry you had to see that, Sleipnir.” The boy didn’t reply, so Thor sighed, trying to break the ice. “Well… I promised your mother that I would protect you and protect him. No more bad alphas will hurt you.”

Sleipnir frowned slightly, looking up cautiously at Thor. “If you hurt Mommy, I’m gonna hurt you.”

It actually pained Thor’s heart to hear this, as he could only imagine the things that Sleipnir had been through to make a threat like this. While others might find the boy’s words comical, Thor took them to heart. The last thing he wanted was this child growing up never being able to trust alphas because of their past, and if nothing else, he wanted to make a way for Loki and Sleipnir to gain some stability in their lives.

Even if he gained nothing from it.

Sighing softly, Thor looked at the young boy, placing all the genuine care and emotion he could into his voice. “If I ever hurt your mother, you are allowed to hurt me, Sleipnir. And I want to promise to you that I will never hurt him. Or you.”

The young boy set down his crayon, meeting Thor’s gentle gaze. “Mommy says we can’t promise things if it’s not true.”

“Well, your mother is right about that. But I won’t hurt either of you. I promise.”

Pouting, Sleipnir picked up his crayon again, continuing to color. “I’ll be really mad if you break your promise.”

Smiling softly, Thor nodded, amused with the young boy. “And you have every right to be.” He looked up when he noticed Loki approaching them and stood as well, thankful that Loki accepted his help. “Well?”

“The owner is fine with me working here as a waiter, and told me that I start tomorrow. So after Sleipnir and I move in upstairs, I’ll take the bus to go get some essentials.” Answered Loki, running soothing fingers through Sleipnir’s hair. “And thank you again, Thor. You had no reason to help my son and me, but you did. So thank you.”

Thor hummed, relieved to hear that everything worked out well. “Movers are still moving furniture into the apartment upstairs. Why don’t I drive you both to the store?”

“No, no that’s okay. You’ve already done so much for us.” Answered Loki, shaking his head quickly.

“Loki, it’s alright. I’ve blocked out the entire day. I promised that for the next three months, I would treat you as a member of my mob. And I mean that.” Assured Thor. “Let’s get over the fact that this is weird. I understand that me helping you makes no sense, and I’m aware that there’s no reason for me to do this. But… I want to do this. And I want to help. If you’ll allow me, then… I would love to take you to the store so that you can get some things.”

Loki honestly felt like things were working out too well. His life wasn’t a movie, where his Prince Charming would swoop in and save the day, making sure that he and Sleipnir would never be sad again. No, his life was one where he was let down, time and time and  _ time _ again, and the only reason he’d made it this far was because he’d been cautious.

Every  _ single _ time he’d let someone in, he’d gotten hurt or betrayed, and he just couldn’t go through that again, with his son. 

With that being said though, he didn’t have many options. And right now, his best bet was allowing Thor to give him mob protection for three months. If he did this, he could save everything he got from the weekly stipend, he could gain work experience, he could really get back on his feet, and make a life for himself and his son.

He just… he just hoped that he wasn’t making a mistake. 

**✨✨✨**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!
> 
> So school starts back up again for me on May 5th, and because I have a full-time job on top of that, I might not be able to update this story as frequently. I will strive to do an update at least once every 2 weeks, but... no promises.


	4. Routine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> So I want to start off by saying how EXCITED MissOctober13 and I are about the love and reception this story is getting. We're trying our best to concept and crank out chapters.
> 
> I also want to inform everyone of the trigger warnings for this chapter:  
> -Past Child Abuse  
> -Past Physical Abuse  
> -Past Verbal Abuse  
> -Descriptions of Past Sexual abuse
> 
> I think that's it, so please enjoy the chapter, while keeping this trigger warnings in mind.

**✧༺♥༻∞**

Loki still wondered if he was making the right decision.

Right now he and his son were watching movers move furniture into their new apartment, and a large part of him was worried that this was all too good to be true. Alphas like Thor just didn’t care about omegas like Loki, and every  _ single _ time Loki had put his trust in someone, he’d been betrayed or let down. And he was terrified that trusting in Thor and allowing the alpha to help him would lead to him losing everything, once again.

Sleipnir seemed to be unsure too, as the little boy was in his arms, face nestled nervously into the scent gland on his neck. The boy seemed to need his comfort right now, and Loki was more than willing to give it to him, wanting his son to feel comforted and loved. Thor was on the phone with someone on the balcony outside, so for now Loki was alone.

It was surreal for him to have things moved into a place as big as this, and while it was nowhere near luxurious, it was a very nice place. The apartment had a full kitchen, dining area, living room, balcony, and two bedrooms and bathrooms. He made his way over to the couch in the living room and sat down, quite nervous about the events of the past 24 hours. 

“Mama?”

Loki hummed softly, looking down at his son. “Yes, sweetheart?”

“Is this our new home?”

“For the next three months, yes.” Sighed Loki, kissing his son’s brow. “Mommy will work at the cafe downstairs for some time, so during the day you have to stay here, okay?”

Sleipnir frowned the most adorable pout on his face. “I don’t wanna… I’m sad when you’re gone.”

Loki wished that he didn’t have to be away from his son, but he knew that the only way they would ever be okay is if he worked. “Mommy is sad when he leaves you too, Sleipnir… I wish I didn’t have to.”

The young alpha looked up at him then, his small brow furrowed. “Mommy, what if Daddy comes when you’re gone?”

This was honestly a fear of Loki’s and he shook his head quickly, kissing his son’s temple again. “That won’t happen, sweetheart.”

“But what if he does?” Pressed Sleipnir, clinging onto Loki’s shirt tightly. “I don’t want him to take me!” He had tears in his eyes by this point, and it honestly tore Loki up inside to see his son this scared.

“Sleipnir… the alpha outside promised to protect us. So even if Daddy came, we would be safe.”

“But Thor is an alpha… alphas are mean!” Insisted Sleipnir, wiping at his eyes. “Alphas hurt people!”

Loki took his son’s small fist, kissing it softly. “All alphas aren’t bad, sweetheart. You’re an alpha, and you’re nice.”

It seemed that the little boy had never considered this, and looked away, a puzzled look on his face. After a few seconds Sleipnir shook his head quickly, reaching out to hug Loki tightly. “I’m a special alpha! I’m different!”

“You certainly are,” Smiled Loki, ruffling his son’s hair. “You’re my favorite alpha in the whole wide world.”

Sleipnir giggled proudly, grinning up at Loki. “I am?”

“You sure are!” Assured Loki, smothering Sleipnir’s face with kisses until the child was squirming with laughter in his arms. “And Mommy loves you so so  _ so _ much!”

“I love  _ you _ so so so so  _ so _ much!” Shouted Sleipnir in excitement, kissing Loki’s face now. “A lot a lot!”

This started a game of who loved who more, and by the end of it Loki and Sleipnir were red-faced with laughter, their sides and faces buzzing from tickles and endless kisses. It meant  _ so _ much to Loki to be able to love Sleipnir openly without having to worry about Svadilfari, and he knew that regardless of where he went in life, as long as he had his son, he would be okay.

Thor re-entered the apartment then, so Loki and Sleipnir looked over at him, the smiles on their faces pulling at Thor’s heart strings. Seeing Loki interact with his son was a beautiful thing, and he found a soft smile on his face as he closed the balcony door and headed over to the pair. “How do you like the place?”

“It’s nice; much nicer than what I expected,” Answered Loki, looking around at the place again. “It will do for three months.”

“If you decide to join my mob, you can continue to live here, and receive a stipend every month, as well as having rent and utilities paid for each month.” Stated Thor, coming to sit down across from Loki on the L-shaped couch in the living room. “If you choose to not join my mob, you’re more than welcome to live here, as long as you can pay the monthly rent.”

Sighing softly, Loki bit a lower lip, running the numbers in his head. He would be working at the cafe every day of the week beside Wednesday and Thursday from 9 am to 5 pm, and would be earning 12.50 an hour - not including any tips he made. “How much is the apartment a month, utilities included?”

“About 1,400 a month.” Answered Thor. He hoped that Loki would join his mob so that he could continue to protect him, as he would hate to see the omega or his son hurt or harmed in any way. “Is there anything that you need before I leave?”

Loki shook his head, still feeling nervous about accepting Thor’s help. 

Reaching into his pocket, Thor pulled out a cellphone, handing it to Loki. “This is yours. It’s paid off, and it costs $45 a month to keep on. I’ll cover the monthly costs for our three-month agreement.”

Loki gasped, shocked that Thor was trying to give him a cellphone. “I-I-”

“Please. I promised that I would protect you, and I need you to have a way to reach me in case something happens. My number is already saved, and the phone has been activated.” Thor tried to make his voice as gentle as possible, then. “ _ Please _ .”

Reaching out, Loki accepted the phone with a shaking hand, not too sure what to make of this. “Norns… this is the newest model…”

“I hope that you enjoy it, and the apartment. If you ever need anything, anything at all for the next three months, please don’t hesitate to call or text me.” Stated Thor, standing up from the couch. “I’ll check on you once every week, if that’s alright?”

Loki nodded warily, standing up to walk Thor to the door. “Of course.”

Sleipnir got up too and ran to stand in front of Loki, glaring up at Thor. He didn’t say anything, but Thor understood what he was doing, and it made him a bit sad, to see the young alpha protecting his mother to this extent. He could only imagine the horrors that Loki and Sleipnir faced when Loki was with his old family, so he put what he hoped was a kind smile on his face, waving at Sleipnir. “Goodbye, Sleipnir.” The little alpha narrowed his eyes at him and remained silent, so Thor laughed softly, looking back up at Loki. “I’ll be back next Saturday around 12.”

Humming softly, Loki walked to the door with Thor, a calming hand nestled in his son’s hair. “Okay. I’ll see you Saturday. And… thanks again, Thor.”

Thor nodded, a genuine smile on his face. “Of course.”

Once Thor was gone Loki closed the door and locked it, letting out a sigh of relief. It was nice to just be alone with his son, and he picked him up, kissing his round cheeks. “Want to watch TV?” They didn’t have the money for a TV or cable while living in the slums, so now that they were on a better side of town, and Thor was paying for everything, he figured he’d take advantage of it.

Sleipnir perked up and nodded, an eager grin on his face. “Space pups!” This was his favorite TV show currently, so Loki snorted softly, sitting down on the couch and turning this on for his son.

And it was here they remained for the rest of the day, with an ordered pizza and soda being shared between them.

And Loki was relieved that for the first time in a while, he was happy.

He could only hope that this happiness would remain.

**✧༺♥༻∞**

Loki was asked to begin working on Friday since his days off were Wednesday and Thursday, so Loki enjoyed the time at home with his son. The apartment complex they were staying in even had a playground, so he let Sleipnir play here to his heart’s content, his son’s laughter causing him to feel happier than he’d been in  _ years _ .

Friday morning Loki woke up with Sleipnir around 7 am and made them breakfast, kissing his son goodbye and telling him that he needed to stay here throughout the day. He would come back upstairs to spend his breaks and lunches with him, so he reiterated how important it was for Sleipnir to remain here and not leave the apartment. He couldn’t experience the horror that he did when Sleipnir left their old apartment earlier that week.

He headed downstairs next, and greeted his new boss, who was an omega male just like him. It seemed that the entire staff of the cafe were omegas, so Loki found this interesting. 

His boss smiled when Loki greeted him and reached out, shaking his hand. “Hello, Loki. Thank you for coming in today.”

“Thank you for allowing me to work here,” Answered Loki, tucking a section of his hair behind his ear nervously. “Do you need me to help prepare anything?”

“Just take the chairs down from the tables and the barstools off of the counters, please. I also need you to wipe every table down, and make sure that the salt and sugar on each table is filled.”

“Of course,” Responded Loki, beginning to work. He felt much better about working here, and found that the hours and days passed by quite fast. Being so close to Sleipnir made him feel much better about working, and he went to check on Sleipnir every break he got, thankful that the boy was only a minute away from him.

And just like that, a month had passed since he moved in and began to work here.

It was now Wednesday, and Loki was off today. Sleipnir’s birthday was in three weeks, so Loki was trying to decide what he wanted to buy him. He was nervous about spending money, as at the end of the three month period, he’d either have to leave the apartment, or have enough money to afford the monthly payments.

Thor was stopping by today, so Loki hoped that he would be able to pay the alpha to stop by the store and get Sleipnir’s gift for him. He hadn’t been allowed to celebrate Sleipnir’s birthday when they lived with Svadilfari, so he wanted to make the boy’s 5th birthday special. 

Luckily Sleipnir was laying down for a nap, so Loki was able to speak to Thor about this, opening the door to his apartment when the alpha knocked. “Hello.”

Thor hummed softly, stepping into the apartment. “Thank you for inviting me in. How are things?”

Loki led Thor to the living room, sitting down across from the alpha. “Good. I-If I don’t join your mob, I think I’m going to try and pay for this place myself. It’s nice having Sleipnir so close to me while I work.”

“Then I probably shouldn’t wait to give you this,” Murmured Thor, pulling out a checkbook. “Here is your monthly stipend. Spend it wisely.”

Warily taking the check in his hands, Loki almost fainted when he saw the amount. “T-Ten  _ thousand _ ?! A-Are you out of your mind?!”

This hadn’t been the reaction Thor had expected, and he laughed, an amused grin on his face. “That is the monthly stipend for those in my mob that are struggling to provide for themselves and their families right now.”

Loki had never heard of a mob caring this much about its members, and looked back down at the check, shaking his head. “Mobs don’t care about their members this much.” He narrowed his eyes then, looking at Thor with distrust. “What do you want?”

Now Thor was confused, and he raised an eyebrow at the omega. “Uh… what?”

Loki took in a shaking breath, giving Thor a once over, and trying to tell himself that he could do this. He’d been forced to be with uglier, more repulsive clients, and had gotten paid next to nothing. At least with Thor, he’d be able to secure a life for himself and his son. “I-I understand.”

He set the check down on the table then, nervously getting up and making his way over to the bemused alpha. The fear that ran through him was rampant, but Loki told himself that this was for him and his son. Reaching out for Thor’s crotch, Loki moved to unzip his pants, completely shocked when Thor inhaled sharply and grabbed his wrist.

“Norns, Loki! What are you doing?!” Gasped Thor, jumping up and putting a few feet in between him and the omega. 

Loki stared back at him in confusion, not understanding what he’d done wrong. “I-I thought this was what you wanted? Isn’t that why you gave me the check?”

“No!” Assured Thor, shaking his head quickly. “Norns, Valhalla no! Not at all! I-I meant it when I said that this is the stipend that those in my mob receive! I-I don’t want sex from you!”

Sitting up, Loki raised an eyebrow at the alpha, still utterly perplexed. “You really care about your members and their families to give them this much money every month?”

“Yes!”

“And… and you don’t want me to have sex with you? This money is really a stipend?”

“ _ Yes _ !” Insisted Thor, his heart racing. He felt like the  _ shittiest _ person in the universe for not clarifying he wasn’t doing these things for Loki in the hopes that he could get something from the omega, and he exhaled slowly, trying to explain. “Loki… I am helping you because I  _ want _ to. Not because I’m expecting you to give me something. There’s nothing you have that I want. T-These stipend checks are what I promised you, as for the next two months you are a member of my mob that I promised to protect. This isn’t a sexual agreement, and it never will be.”

Loki blinked slowly a few times, his shoulders sagging in relief. Before he knew it, tears were welling in his eyes, and he sniffed, quickly wiping at them. “Norns, I-I’m sorry. I-I thought…” He shook his head and wiped at more of his tears, feeling so much relief that he didn’t have to sell his body again. “Norns, give me a moment, I’m sorry.”

Now Thor was concerned, and he sat down, making sure to keep ample space between him and the omega. “What’s wrong?”

Taking in a shuddering breath, Loki looked up at the ceiling of the apartment, trying to calm down. “I’m just relieved.”

“Did your old mob make you do things like that?” Asked Thor, placing as much concern into his voice as he could.

Loki made a garbled sound, squeezing his eyes shut and nodding hurriedly. “I’ve lost track of the alphas they forced me to be with. T-They would make me do things for  _ hours _ and not give me a chance to heal or recover, a-and they didn’t care if I was sick or bruised or hurting!” He took in another shuddering breath and looked back up at the ceiling, doing his best to remain quiet so that he didn’t wake Sleipnir. “So many people would give me money like this, all so that they could fuck my face or fill me with their ungodly amounts of semen. The person that owned me didn’t even give me a break in between clients.”

Loki had hated his life so  _ much _ then, and every night he prayed for the Norns to take his life. “I used to pray that an alpha would shove his cock down my throat hard enough to kill me, or that one would choke me past the point of revival.” He shook his head again to clear those thoughts from his head, and wiped at his eyes again, gratefully accepting Thor’s handkerchief. “Sorry, I know this is something that you don’t want to hear.”

Shaking his head, Thor scooted a bit closer, his heart breaking for Loki. “Norns, Loki… I’m so sorry that this happened to you.”

Wiping at his eyes with the handkerchief, Loki let out a bitter laugh. “There isn’t a mob in this country where forced prostitution doesn’t happen. It’s just a part of life.”

“Not every mob is the same,” Murmured Thor. “I can name three mobs that I know of - mine included - that don’t force people into prostitution.”

Looking up in disbelief at Thor, Loki shook his head, refusing to believe this. “The mob is the mob, Thor. You can dress it up in different clothes but at the end of the day, a mob is a mob.”

“And not every mob runs the same. Some of us are truly business empires. And that isn’t to say that things like drugs and weapons or underhanded things aren’t done, but… I can assure you that my mob doesn’t participate in forced prostitution. The closest thing we have to that is the porn industry, and even then that isn’t forced.”

Loki still didn’t believe Thor, but he dropped the issue, not wanting to discuss it further. “So this stipend is given every month?”

“Yes,” Answered Thor, noticing how quickly Loki changed the subject but not commenting on it. “You will receive two more payments like this, before I am unable to protect you anymore.”

This was  _ more _ than gracious, and Loki crunched the numbers in his head. If he saved all the money from each stipend, he would be able to afford this apartment for at least a year.

Norns, this was the opportunity he needed.

He wanted to collapse to the floor and cry in relief, but he held himself together, clearing his throat. “Thank you. I…”

“I don’t need you to repay me in any way, shape or form, Loki,” Assured Thor. “And I mean this. Think of me helping you as… an old man just trying to do something right for all the wrong I’ve done.”

This put a small smile on Loki’s face, and he looked up at the alpha, the look on his face causing Thor’s stomach to flip flop and his heartstrings to be pulled at. “You’re not old. You can’t be older than 29.”

This was a boost to Thor’s ego and he smiled smugly, happy to hear that he looked so young. “I’m actually 35.”

Widening his eyes, Loki gaped at the man, disbelief on his face. “Norns!”

Laughing, Thor smiled at the omega, happy when the omega smiled back at him. “I promise that I don’t want anything from you, Loki. And I understand why my words might be hard to trust, so… I won’t be offended if you don’t believe me.”

Tucking a section of hair behind his ear, Loki nodded slowly, a million and one things running through his mind. So far Thor had proven that he could be trusted with some things, but Loki had made the mistake of trusting people too many times, so he didn’t want to make the same mistake again. Nevertheless, he knew that Thor had done a lot for him, so he decided that he would change the subject once again and bring up the idea of him buying a gift for Sleipnir. “If I give you the money, would you be willing to buy something for me? Sleipnir’s birthday is in three weeks, and I don’t want him to know what I’m getting.”

“Of course. What do you want to get him?” Asked Thor, not bothered by Loki changing the conversation.

Pulling out his phone, Loki pulled up a barbie dream house, complete with Barbie, Ken, and a few of her friends. “He’s always wanted this, and… and this is the first time that I’m able to celebrate Sleipnir’s birthday and get him something.”

Thor had a puzzled expression on his face, looking at the image closely. “He wants a barbie house?”

Loki pulled the phone away, getting defensive. “I-I know he’s an alpha, but he likes these things, and I-I don’t care about it being an “omega” toy. As long as my son is happy, that’s all that matters to me!”

Thor put up his hands, surprised by the intensity that Loki was coming at him with. “I never said anything was wrong with him playing with this, Loki. He’s your son; whatever you feel he should play with, is what he should play with.”

The pair stared off for a few seconds before Loki nodded, letting out a breath he’d been holding. He thought that Thor would mention how disgusting it was for Sleipnir to be playing with omega toys, or how “unbecoming” it was.

Those had been the things Svadilfari told him, and the memory was so clear and crisp in his mind; just as if it had happened yesterday.

Sleipnir had just turned one and was still learning how to talk. Loki wasn’t very close with Svadilfari’s other wives, but one of them had a son a year older than Loki that was an omega, so Loki often tried to let them play together when Svadilfari allowed it.

That day they had been in the room of Svadilfari’s wife who had the young omega son, playing barbies with their children. Loki personally hadn’t seen anything wrong with it and enjoyed spending time with his son, having fun with him.

The door to the room had been thrown open then, a frustrated Svadilfari entered. “Loki, where the  _ hell _ have you been?!”

Loki jumped, dropping his barbie and rushing to stand. “I-I thought that Sleipnir could play with his brother for a bit, today…”

Svadilfari narrowed his eyes at Loki, then. “Did I fucking say you could do this today?”

Loki looked away, beginning to tremble nervously. “N-No…”

Making his way over to Loki, Svadilfari glared down at him, beginning to release downright  _ horrifying _ pheromones. “The next time you do something without my permission, I’m going to beat the shit out of you.”

Loki had learned by now not to cry in front of Svadilfari - it just got him in more trouble - so he nodded, biting a lower lip. “I’m sorry, Husband.”

“You better fucking be,” Sighed Svadilfari, looking down and doing a double-take at Sleipnir. “What the  _ fuck _ is he playing with?!”

Before Loki could respond, Svadilfari had snatched the barbie out of Sleipnir’s hands roughly, a vein in his head throbbing dangerously. “What the fuck is this? Is this a fucking  _ barbie _ ?!”

He shouted the word with so much venom that everyone in the room looked away in fear, the children too scared to even cry. 

“Answer me!”

Loki jumped from the fierce bellow, unable to meet Svadilfari’s eyes. “Y-Yes…”

Svadilfari threw the barbie at Sleipnir as hard as he could, pelting the child on the head with it. “No alpha of mine is playing with a fucking barbie!”

Loki screamed when the doll hit Sleipnir, and he rushed to scoop his son up, who was currently wailing from the gash on his forehead. “Oh my Norns! H-He’s just a baby!”

The alpha drew up a hand to strike Loki, and Loki cowered in fear, anticipating the hit.

“Put the fucking child down.”

Loki’s eyes welled with tears, and he gave a shaky nod, setting his son down on a nearby couch. The  _ second _ Sleipnir was out of his arms, Svadilfari was upon him, beating him senseless.

“That is my  _ son _ ! He is an  _ alpha _ ! Alpha’s don't play with omega toys!” Shouted Svadilfari, backhanding Loki so hard that he flew back against the couch. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Loki was delirious from the abuse and struggled to pick his head up, trying to quiet his son down. He knew that if he didn’t, Svadilfari would physically punish their son.

“And  _ you _ !” Screamed Svadilfari, turning on his other wife. “How could you be so fucking  _ stupid _ ?!” He was upon him quicker than lightning, and Loki moved to hold both of their children, scared out of his fucking  _ mind _ .

The omega’s screams as Svadilfari beat him were screams that would be entrenched in Loki’s mind forever, and as he blinked away his tears, Loki came back to the present, where Thor was close, a concerned look on his face. 

“Loki?”

Loki bit a lower lip, shaking his head. “I-I’m sorry. I just… you know what, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Thor could only imagine what thought had caused Loki to fall silent and tear up, and sighed softly, feeling terrible for his reaction. “I’ll get the barbie house for Sleipnir, Loki. Let me know a good time to drop it off, and I’ll have it over to you before his birthday.”

“Thank you,” Murmured Loki, unable to look at Thor. “If you could drop it off next Wednesday around 2 pm, that would be best. Sleipnir naps every day at that time.”

“Then I will do that. If I’m unable to, I will have one of my men drop it off for you.”

Nodding, Loki looked down at the check Thor gave him, taking it into his hands and staring at it in awe. “You really want nothing from me?”

Smiling softly, Thor reached out, a gentle hand on Loki’s shoulder. “Just promise me that you’ll always do everything you can to support yourself and your son, and… and this will all be worth it.”

Now it was Loki’s turn to smile, and he nodded, shooting Thor a grin that melted the alpha’s heart. “Thank you. You know… you’re not too bad, Thor. I’m sure you’re an excellent husband and father, and… if your mob is truly as you say… then… I might join.”

Now it was Thor’s turn to grin, and his radiant smile made Loki’s heart flutter. “There’s no rush, Loki. You still have two months to decide.”

The omega nodded, looking back down at the check. “Yes… you’re right about that.” Once you joined a mob, you joined for life, and while receiving this stipend check every month was  _ nice _ , and getting the protection of Thor’s mafia was even nicer, Loki was hesitant to commit himself to another mob. 

He decided that he would wait a few months before making a decision, as he could afford to keep him and his son in this apartment for a year. After the year was over he would make a decision.

Standing up, Thor let Loki know that he would send the barbie house to him next Wednesday, and turned to leave, thanking him for his time.

Loki waited until the door closed before slumping onto the couch in relief. Knowing that he didn’t have to fuck Thor for this money, or do anything that he didn’t want to do took the weight of the world off of his shoulders, and he grabbed the check again, sending a thankful prayer up to the Norns. Because of this, as well as the stipend checks that would come the next couple of months, Loki could put Sleipnir in school. It was June, so he prayed that he could stop by a nearby school and enroll his son for the fall.

He was off tomorrow as well, so he prayed that he’d be able to take his son to enroll. He didn’t have his son’s birth certificate - that was held onto by Svadilfari, unfortunately - but he did have his son’s social security card, and hoped that this would be enough.

“Mama?”

Loki turned at the sound of his son’s voice, not surprised that he was up. “What’s wrong, Sleipnir? Are you hungry?”

The little boy nodded, coming over to Loki and climbing in his lap. “I want a hot dog.”

“Alright, well let’s go out on an adventure and get you one. Mommy has some extra spending money today, so we can get you a new toy and something sweet on the way home.”

Sleipnir perked up happily, jumping out of Loki’s lap and bouncing on the couch. “Ice cream! With a lot of sprinkles! A-And hot fudge! A-And a lot a lot of chocolate chips!!!”

“Of course, sweetheart.” Laughed Loki, standing up from the couch. “Now let’s get dressed.” 

“Kay!” Hummed the young boy, jumping off of the couch and running to his room. He chattered about all of the things he would put in his ice cream, and about pirates and spaceships, and about anything and everything that crossed his mind as he and Loki got ready and left the apartment, putting a warm smile on Loki’s face.

Loki honestly loved his son more than anything in this world, and seeing his son blossom and grow now that they weren’t under the oppressive rule of Svadilfari made it all worth it.

The area that they lived in pretty much had everything within walking distance, so Loki led his son to a hot dog stall a half-mile away from their apartment, paying for their hot dogs and sitting down at a nearby table with Sleipnir. The young alpha was munching down on his hot dog happily, and Loki couldn’t help but laugh when he noticed the ketchup and mustard splattered across his son’s face. “Norns, Sleipnir, you’ve gotten sauce all over your face.”

The little boy set down his hot dog and used a napkin to wipe at his face, before sipping at his coke and picking up the hot dog to eat again. “Thanks, Mommy!”

“Of course,” Murmured Loki, eating a few chips before bringing up Sleipnir attending school. “So Mommy wants to talk to you about something, Sleipnir.”

Sleipnir hummed, continuing to eat.

“How would you feel if we lived here for a year?”

“I would be happy!” Grinned Sleipnir, finishing up his hot dog. “I like it here.”

“Remember how Mr.Thor said he would help us?” Asked Loki, not missing the way Sleipnir’s face darkened.

“Yeah…”

“Well he is helping Mommy right now, and because he helped Mommy, you and I are able to stay in the apartment for a year, and you’re able to go to school. Would you like that?”

Sleipnir pondered on this for a few seconds before nodding, reaching for his bag of chips. “I can go to school?”

“Yes, sweetheart. School starts next month, so tomorrow we can go on an adventure and sign you up.” Assured Loki, reaching out to ruffle his son’s hair. “You’ve been such a good boy since we ran away from Daddy… so I want you to know I’m proud of you. I really love you, and I’m happy that you’re here with me.”

“I’m happy too, Mommy!” Rushed Sleipnir, popping another chip in his mouth. 

“And because we’re away from Daddy, we can celebrate your birthday this year. Mommy can get you whatever toy you want, so… what would you like?”

“A-Am I allowed to play with omega toys now that Daddy isn’t here?” Asked Sleipnir, an unsure look on his face.

“You can play with whatever you want, sweetheart. Daddy can’t hurt us anymore,” Promised Loki. “Now that we’re free, we can do everything that Daddy never let us do.”

This put the most  _ adorable _ grin on Sleipnir’s face, and the young boy laughed, his eyes lighting up. “Then I want a really big barbie house! Like super big! And I want a lot of barbies!”

“Then Mommy will get you the  _ biggest _ barbie house, with all the barbies.” Answered Loki, his heart swelling with love for his child. “What flavor cake do you want?”

“Confetti! And a lot a lot of sprinkles!” Announced Sleipnir, beginning to giggle. “And balloons!”

“Of course, sweetheart. We’ll make this the best birthday ever.”

And he truly meant it. He would do whatever he had to do, to make sure that from this point on, Sleipnir never wanted or went without a single thing, anymore.

**✧༺♥༻∞**

As promised, Thor dropped off Sleipnir’s present the next Wednesday, and it was worth it, seeing how Loki’s eyes lit up, his lips stretched in an excited smile. 

Thor honestly felt quite protective over Loki, so to see the omega so happy and to see him prospering month after month, really gave Thor a feeling of happiness that he wasn’t sure he’d felt before.

After delivering the toy to Loki he was prepared to leave, but Loki stopped him, which was surprising. The man had a nervous look on his face, so Thor wanted to do whatever he could to make it go away. “What is it, Loki?”

Biting a lower lip, Loki tucked a section of hair behind his ear, gesturing for Thor to follow him. “I… I have a few questions about your mob. And I would greatly appreciate it if you could answer them for me.”

“Of course,” Answered Thor, following Loki to the couches in the living room and sitting down. “What’s going through your head?”

Taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly, Loki tried to calm down, telling himself that he was allowed to ask questions about things he didn’t understand. In the past, he’d always gotten hit or cursed at when he tried to ask questions about the mob with Svadilfari, so there was still a part of him that worried about retribution. “You’re the underboss of the Asgardian Mafia, correct?”

“I am.”

“That means that no matter what you say or promise me, if your Boss says no, you can’t go against that.”

“... You are right about that as well.” Sighed Thor, looking away. “If my father discovered that I was protecting a runaway from another mob - a runaway that could start a mob war, nonetheless - then I wouldn’t be allowed to use mob funds and mob men to protect you.  _ But, _ ” he added, “That doesn’t mean that I can’t use my funds or protect you myself.”

Loki blinked in bewilderment, not understanding why Thor would ever want to protect him himself, or use his personal funds to help him survive. “Why would you ever do that? I’m  _ no one _ to you.”

“Because we’ve come this far, Loki. I’m not giving up on helping you just because my father decides that it’s too risky to help you.” Answered Thor. “If I don’t help you, you could very well die out there, or be forced to leave whatever region of our country that you go to after being kicked out of this one, over and over and  _ over _ again. Every child needs some sort of stability in their lives. And if I can protect you both, and ensure that you’re able to start a life for you and your son, then… then I can sleep better at night, knowing that I actually did something nice and selfless for once in my life.”

Loki nodded slowly, looking away from the alpha as well. “I can’t join your mob without your father’s permission. And he’s going to ask why anyone in their right mind would ever want to join a mob. Once he hears that I’ve been in one, it’s over for me.”

“That’s not necessarily true. Captains, as well as the underboss, are allowed to bring others into the mob without informing the boss as long as they’re not members that are high up in the mob. If you joined my mob, you wouldn’t be a significant member. You would just be someone joining for protection.”

Loki had never known this about mobs, and thought even harder about the decision he needed to make for himself and his son. “Would Sleipnir be required to join your mob once he becomes 18, if I joined?”

“Well, no, but… it would be disappointing if he didn’t. Our mob stays alive through generational allegiance. But… if Sleipnir decided to not join, then he has every right to make that decision.”

“And what about me? What am I going to be expected to do if I joined your mob?”

Thor sighed, running through different roles in his head. “You’d most likely just be asked to work for the mob in one of our less lucrative businesses; one that wouldn’t put you at the risk of getting arrested. Do you have a degree?”

“... I… I never graduated high school…” Admitted Loki, looking away shamefully. “I was sold to my old mob at 16, and… and I was never allowed to go to school when I married my husband.”

It broke Thor’s heart to hear this, and he frowned deeply, knowing that he wanted to do what he could to help. “Loki… if you joined my mob, we would pay for you to go back to school. And we would pay for you to get a degree. I can take care of you, Loki, I just… I can only do so much for a member that isn’t in my family.”

Thor saying this was like dangling a million dollars in front of Loki, and expecting him not to grab it. He wanted nothing more than to go back to school and receive his education, and he bit a lower lip, telling himself to remain on track. He needed to have all of his questions answered before making such a monumental decision like joining another mob.

“Loki, are you still legally married to your husband?”

Loki shook his head. “We were never legally married. The man had over a dozen “wives”, and we all lived together in his mansion. He’s only legally married to the mother of his heir.”

This was a relief, as Loki would always be in danger if Svadilfari and him were still legally married. To get a divorce, Svadilfari would’ve been made aware of Loki’s location, and that would put both Loki and Sleipnir in danger. 

“Lastly, I… I want you to teach me how to defend myself.”

Thor looked up when Loki said this, surprised by the request. “Like… with a gun?”

Loki nodded. “Yes. I-I also want to know how to defend myself physically, without a weapon. I want to know how to protect myself and my son.”

“I can arrange this. If you look online for a self-defense class and a gun class, then I’ll arrange for a car to always be there to take you to it.”

“Thank you,” Murmured Loki. “I think that’s everything.”

“Mommy?”

Loki and Thor looked over at Sleipnir as the young boy appeared from his bedroom, and Loki hummed softly, gesturing for his son to come over. “What’s wrong, Sleipnir?”

“I’m hungry…” Complained the child, climbing into Loki’s lap and nestling his face against the scent gland on Loki’s neck. 

“Why don’t I take us out for something, Loki?” Offered Thor. “I’m quite hungry, too.”

Loki wasn’t opposed to this and nodded, rubbing at his son’s back. “That would be great, honestly. Thank you.”

Thor looked over at Sleipnir next, not surprised that the young boy wasn’t happy to see him. “What do you have a taste for, Sleipnir?”

The small alpha frowned, clinging onto Loki tighter. “I don’t want you to eat with me and Mommy.”

Sighing softly, Loki rubbed at his son’s back, not wanting to be rude to Thor. “Sleipnir, let’s let Mr. Thor eat with us, okay? He really helped Mommy today.”

“He helped you?” Asked Sleipnir, confusion riddling his small face. “But he’s an alpha! Alphas are mean!”

“Some alphas are nice, sweetheart. And Mr. Thor helped Mommy a lot and has been helping Mommy for the past month. Let’s be nice and eat lunch with him. You want to be a nice alpha, right?” Urged Loki, rubbing at his son’s side.

Sleipnir seemed to contemplate this for a few seconds before begrudgingly giving in, turning his head away from Thor petulantly. “I want pizza.”

“Then we’ll go get some pizza,” Answered Thor, an amused grin on his face. He couldn’t say that he was surprised by Sleipnir’s protectiveness, and found that he even respected the small boy for caring so much about his mother.

Loki stood and put Sleipnir on his feet, rubbing at his back. “Norns, you’re getting so big.” His son was already quite tall for a five-year-old since both of his parents were tall, and Loki found himself growing quite sad at the realization that there would be a day where he wouldn’t be able to hold Sleipnir in his arms anymore.

The little boy taking his hand though and squeezing it affectionately made him smile, and together they followed Thor out of the apartment and down to the street below, where Thor’s car was parked. 

It was always hard for Loki to be in luxurious cars like this, as they reminded him of the men that he was forced to sleep with, all those years ago. He took in a shuddering breath and tried to calm down as Thor pulled away from the curb, reminding himself that those days were over.

The drive to the pizzeria wasn’t a long one, and after arriving and being seated at a table, Loki looked over the menu, figuring that he and Sleipnir could share a pizza. That way, they’d have leftovers for the next day. “Sleipnir, let’s share a pizza. What toppings do you want?”

“I want sausage, pepperoni, and bacon!” Announced the boy, a happy grin on his face.

Loki told the waiter this, so after both orders had been given and their drinks delivered, Sleipnir noticed that there was a toy quarter machine in the corner of the restaurant, and he grew excited, turning to Loki. “Mama, can I have a quarter?! Please?!”

Laughing softly, Loki dug around in his pocket, relieved that there was a quarter in it. “Here.”

His son thanked him before running off, so Loki made sure to watch him, surprised when the boy returned empty-handed. “What’s wrong, Sleipnir?”

“I need two more quarters!” Rushed the boy, jumping up and down in excitement. “Please!”

“I don’t have any more quarters, Sleipnir.” Sighed Loki, his heart breaking when he saw his son’s face fall. “I’m sorry.”

Thor felt bad for the young boy and dug around in his pockets, finding a few quarters. “I have some quarters, Sleipnir. Would you like them?”

Sleipnir shook his head, returning to the seat next to Loki. “Nope!”

Thor and Loki shared an amused look, not surprised by his answer. It made Loki sad that Sleipnir didn’t trust alphas because of Svadilfari, and he rubbed at his son’s back, tutting softly. “Sleipnir, that’s not very nice.”

Sleipnir pouted, turning away and drinking from his cola, refusing to feel bad.

Loki shot Thor an apologetic look, feeling a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Thor. He… is trying his best to make the most of this situation. And he just wants to make sure that no one hurts me again.”

“I understand, Loki.” Murmured Thor, not offended by Sleipnir’s poor attitude. It made him sad as well that Sleipnir was like this, and for the millionth time since meeting Loki, Thor felt his heart break. He knew that Sleipnir wouldn’t be acting like this without a reason, so he wasn’t upset with the young boy for treating him like this.

He didn’t know the exact role he wanted to play in Loki and Sleipnir’s lives, but… he at least hoped that if nothing else, he was able to get Sleipnir to trust alphas again and able to help Loki get back on his feet.

It was the least he could do, and… and he hoped it would help him begin to feel whole again.

If only a little.

**✧༺♥༻∞**

  
  
  
  



	5. Development

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> Here are the trigger warnings for this chapter:
> 
> -Blood  
> -Violence  
> -Weapons  
> -Murder of minor characters who aren't important in this story at all  
> -So much fluff in the beginning of the chapter you'll DIE
> 
> LOL and also need to state that I do NOT own Nintendo, or any of its affiliated companies, games, pursuits, etc.

**༺♥༻**

The morning of Sleipnir’s birthday felt like Christmas to Loki.

When they lived with Svadilfari, they’d been unable to celebrate the boy’s birthday due to the alpha’s jealousy. But now that they were free, Loki wanted to make this the best birthday for his son.

Sleipnir’s favorite thing on this earth was sprinkles and the rainbow, so Loki pulled out his decorations for his son, taping streamers throughout the apartment and filling the living room with balloons. A “Happy Birthday” banner was strewn on the kitchen wall, and Sleipnir’s bedroom door was decorated with various stickers that spelled out “Happy Birthday”.

Finally, Loki began to make Sleipnir’s favorite breakfast; confetti pancakes with bacon and eggs. Once things were perfect, he took a moment to take all of this in and thanked the Norns for this moment. Never in a million years did he ever imagine he’d be free like this and he almost cried, feeling so thankful to be here, away from his husband.

This morning was about his son though, so after setting their plates, Loki made his way to Sleipnir’s bedroom, padding over to his son’s bed and gently shaking him awake. “Sweetheart? It’s time to wake up.”

Sleipnir frowned, turning away from Loki. “Mmm… I’m sleepy, Mama.”

“But it’s your birthday! Mommy made your favorite breakfast!” 

Sleipnir perked up at this, turning back around and sitting up in bed. “Confetti pancakes?”

“Yep,” Assured Loki, kissing his son’s forehead and pulling him in for a warm embrace. “And I even bought you a present!”

Now Sleipnir was wide awake, and he giggled, the look on his face causing Loki’s heart to swell with love and pride. “A present?!”

“Yep! Let Mommy go get it for you.”

Sleipnir bounced out of Loki’s lap, beginning to clap his hands. “Yay! Barbies!”

Loki left his son’s bedroom to get his Barbie dreamhouse, and brought it back into the room a few seconds later, the squeal and smile from Sleipnir absolutely  _ priceless _ .

“Oh my gosh! BARBIES!” Squealed Sleipnir, running towards Loki and jumping up and down with excitement. “Barbie! A-And Ken! A-And Midge too!”

Loki set the barbie house down in front of his son, his heart breaking when his son began to sob. “Norns, Sleipnir, what’s wrong?”

Sleipnir whimpered, immediately running into Loki’s arms as the omega crouched down to hug him. “I-I’m happy!”

Loki tutted softly, kissing his son’s brow. “It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re away from Daddy, so we can be happy and love each other all that we want. And Mommy loves you so much.”

Sleipnir whimpered again, hugging onto Loki tighter. “I love you too, Mommy! A lot a lot!”

Kissing his son’s temple, Loki rubbed at the little boy’s back, reassuring him. “You’ve been such a good boy since we’ve run away from Daddy. I’m so proud of you, Sleipnir.”

Humming softly, Sleipnir pulled back so that he could kiss Loki back, before nestling into his scent gland on his neck again. “Thank you, Mama… I’m really happy!”

The pair shared what seemed to be a million kisses then, before Sleipnir moved to open his barbie house, shouting with joy as he pulled out every barbie and opened up the dream house. It had three levels, and even came with a car. It had also cost Loki about $300 dollars, but he didn’t care, as his son being happy meant more to him than anything. He would gladly go without so that his son could thrive. 

Helping Sleipnir unbox everything was a magical moment for them both, and after everything was assembled Loki kissed Sleipnir’s temple, wanting him to eat his breakfast. “Let’s eat before we play, Sleipnir.”

“Can I bring Ken to the table?” Asked Sleipnir, his eyes shining with hope. 

“Sure,” Answered Loki, standing up. “Just make sure to eat.”

“I will!” Promised Sleipnir, grabbing the Ken doll and standing up to run to the kitchen. “Pancakes!”

Snorting, Loki followed his son out to their kitchen, sitting down at their small round table. “Want me to cut up your pancakes?”

“Uh-uh!” Huffed the boy, picking up his small knife and fork. “I wanna do it myself!”

Watching his son attempt to cut up his pancakes into bite-sized pieces was amusing, and he could only smile, thankful once again that he and his son were free from Svadilfari.

“Mmm!!! Mommy these are  _ good _ !” Hummed Sleipnir, beginning to attack his meal with a fever.

Loki was just glad that Sleipnir loved it, and ate his meal along with him, wanting to bring up the self-defense classes that he wanted them to take. “Sleipnir… how would you feel if you and I learned to defend ourselves?”

Sleipnir looked up at him, stuffing a piece of bacon into his mouth. “Can I fight bad alphas?”

“Well… you’d be able to defend yourself against anyone who tried to hurt you, if you took these classes.”

“Like bad alphas?”

“Yes, Sleipnir,” Chuckled Loki, ruffling his son’s hair. “And anyone else that tries to hurt you; there are bad people of all types.”

Sleipnir nodded, eating some of his eggs. “Then… I wanna learn how to fight bad people! Then I can protect you! And if Daddy comes, I can make sure he never hurts us again!”

Sighing softly, Loki nodded, rubbing at his son’s back. “Mr. Thor said that he will help us… is that okay?”

Immediately Sleipnir’s face darkened and he pouted, looking over at Loki. “Does he have to? I don’t like Mr. Thor.”

“He promised he would protect us, Sleipnir. We have to be nice to him.” Answered Loki, the familiar pang of guilt running through him. He felt terrible that Sleipnir hated alphas because of Svadilfari, and hoped that being around Thor would help his son realize that not all alphas were bad. “Now finish your breakfast.”

Sleipnir grumbled under his breath and stuffed some pancake bits into his mouth, looking over at Loki again. “Do I have to?”

“ _ Yes _ , Sleipnir. You have to be nice to Mr. Thor.”

It seemed like Sleipnir’s mood was quite sour now and he put down his fork, crossing his arms defiantly. “I don’t want breakfast anymore.”

Loki snorted softly, standing up from the table. “Today we get to do whatever you say, and Mommy will do whatever you want.”

This seemed to perk Sleipnir back up, and he giggled happily, shooting out of his chair. “You have to play barbies with me!”

“Alright, we’ll play barbies for as long as you want,” Assured Loki, cleaning up their breakfast. “I’ll meet you in your room; why don’t you pick out the barbie that you want Mommy to be?”

“‘Kay!” Chirped Sleipnir, darting out of the kitchen.

After cleaning up their breakfast, Loki dried his hands and made his way to Sleipnir’s room, pulling back the curtains and sitting down in front of the massive dollhouse. “Alright, love. Let’s play.”

Sleipnir grinned and handed him a doll with brown, shaggy hair. “You can be Ryan! And I’ll be Ken and Barbie!”

Loki nodded, beginning to get into character and playing with his son. “Hi, Barbie! Hi Ken! Want to play in the pool?”

“Yes!” Stated Sleipnir, using the Ken doll. “I’m gonna jump off the diving board!”

Smiling softly, Loki followed Sleipnir’s barbies and continued to play with him for the next two hours, the time flying by.

Just being here with his son meant everything to him, and it almost made him cry, because of how happy he was. His son was just  _ radiating _ joy, and knowing that they were free and could live like this forever meant the world to Loki.

The pair spent the rest of the day playing barbies or watching TV, eating chicken nuggets for lunch at Sleipnir’s request. Around 5pm, an unsure knock at the door caught their attention, so Loki stood up from the couch, padding over to the door and looking through the peephole.

He was beside himself with shock to see Thor on the other side and quickly unlocked the door, wondering why the alpha was here. “Thor, hello… is something wrong?”

Thor shook his head, running a nervous hand through his hair. He’d been going back and forth about whether or not he should buy a present for Sleipnir, and decided to just do it, knowing that the little boy deserved it. “I brought a few gifts for Sleipnir if that’s alright?”

Loki looked down at the wrapped gifts, taking one into his hands. “What is it?”

“It’s a new handheld gaming system, and three videogames to go with it.”

“Norns!” Gasped Loki, shocked that Thor was willing to spend that much money on Sleipnir. “Norns, that must’ve cost a fortune! A-Are you sure?”

Thor nodded, handing the wrapped video games to Loki. “Of course. This is just a personal gift from me; no strings attached. I hope he enjoys it.” 

Loki took the games and bit a lower lip, wondering if he should let Thor in. He knew that Sleipnir didn’t like the man, and since it was the little boy’s birthday, he didn’t want him to have to do a single thing that he didn't want to do.

Thor didn't expect Loki to invite him in - he really didn't want to ruin the alpha's day - so instead he took a step back. "I'll stop by next Wednesday with your second stipend check. Text me when you find defense classes you want to take, and I'll get you to them."

Loki nodded, unable to suppress the soft smile on his face. It touched him deeply that Thor was trying his best to make them feel safe and appreciated, and he began to wonder if joining Thor's mob would be such a bad thing. He didn't want to make any rash decisions though and told himself that he would try and wait a few months before truly deciding. “Thank you. I'll text you later tonight, so… Thank you again, Thor.”

The alpha smiled as well, turning to leave. "I'll see you next Wednesday."

Loki thanked him again before closing the door and called out to Sleipnir, who was intensely watching his favorite cartoon. "Sleipnir? Want to blow out your candles and eat your cake?" 

"YEAH!" Shouted the young alpha, jumping off of the couch and beginning to dance around Loki as they walked to the kitchen. "Is it a confetti cake?" 

Loki laughed softly, reaching for five candles and placing them on his son's cake. "Of course. Mommy made sure of it." 

Sleipnir cheered again and continued to dance as he followed Loki to the dining room table, hopping up and beginning to laugh. "Thank you, Mommy!" 

Loki's heart swelled with pride, and he sat down next to his son, running his fingers through the boy's raven hair. "When you blow out the candles, make sure to make a wish."

Nodding eagerly, Sleipnir waited for Loki to light the candles, clapping his hands with excitement when the omega began to sing the "Happy Birthday" song to him. 

Once Loki finished he leaned forward, kissing Sleipnir's temple. "Blow out the candles and make a wish, sweetheart."

Closing his eyes, Sleipnir made a wish and blew out the candles, beginning to laugh when he was finished. "I want a biiiiig slice of cake, Mama!" 

Since he'd promised his son he would listen to whatever he wanted today, he cut him a big slice of cake, handing it to him with a fork. "Don't eat all of this in one sitting, Sleipnir."

The young boy hummed, taking a big bite out of his cake and squealing with joy. "It's good!" 

Ruffling his son's hair, Loki watched him eat his cake until he got full, wrapping up the rest and saving it for later. "So Mr. Thor stopped by earlier, and he brought you a present."

The young boy seemed suspicious and scrunched his small face into a frown, raising an eyebrow at Loki. "He did?" 

"He did. It was very expensive, so the next time you see Mr. Thor I want you to tell him thank you."

Sleipnir watched as Loki pulled out the wrapped gifts, and Loki bit back a laugh, seeing that Sleipnir wanted to get excited, but tried not to because the gifts were from Thor. "What is it?" 

"Just open it, love." Murmured Loki, gently pushing the gifts towards him. 

Very warily, Sleipnir picked out the biggest gift and unwrapped it, inhaling sharply when he saw what it was. "A-A NINTENDO SWITCH?!" 

Loki was beside himself with shock as well, as this gaming system was over 300 dollars. 

Sleipnir quickly tore off the wrapping paper then, unable to fight back the smile forming on his face. "It's pink! It's my favorite color!" 

Loki examined the switch closely, deeply shocked by this. He knew that they didn't make them this color, so this meant that Thor had this specially crafted for Sleipnir. "Norns have mercy…"

Opening the box with Loki's help, Sleipnir smiled even more when he pulled out the device and saw that it had his name engraved on it. "Mommy look! It has my name!" 

Shaking his head in disbelief, Loki watched Sleipnir turn it on, seeing that 1,000 dollars had been loaded onto it for the eshop. "Oh my Norns."

Sleipnir was just as surprised and set down the gaming system on the table, opening up his other gifts. The first video game was Pokémon, and Loki felt his heart twist painfully when he saw it. That had been his favorite game growing up, and he'd even collected all the cards. He remembered how his father sold the cards for drug money then, and fought against his troubled memories, wanting to focus on Sleipnir and Sleipnir only. "Do you like it?" 

The young alpha couldn't help but laugh and nodded, reaching to open his other gifts. It looked like Thor had gotten him the most popular games for this system, and Loki was beside himself with shock and awe. 

This was  _ literally  _ the nicest thing that someone had ever done for Sleipnir, and Loki was genuinely touched by Thor's gesture of kindness. Thor didn't have to do any of this, he didn't even have to put them in this nice apartment and give them a monthly stipend, but he  _ did.  _ And he didn't even want sex! 

This honestly made Loki look at Thor in a fonder light, and he grinned as Sleipnir spoke to him about each game, and what he could do in them. 

For the rest of the day, Loki and Sleipnir played on the new gaming system, and enjoyed being together, relieved that they no longer had to hide their love, or be seperated.

Never again would they ever have to be apart. 

**༺♥༻**

Loki was pissed that he couldn't sign Sleipnir up for school without a birth certificate and SSN card, and he fretted about what to do. Svadilfari had both of those documents, and going back to him was out of the question, so Loki decided to turn to Thor a week after Sleipnir’s birthday, knowing that the alpha could help. 

He'd never called Thor before, so when he dialed the alpha's number he was a bit nervous. Nevertheless, he called him, bringing the phone next to his ear. 

Thor answered on the third ring, his voice causing Loki's heart to race. "Hello?" 

Loki bit a lower lip, Thor's voice deeper and huskier than he'd ever heard it. Never in his life had he ever heard someone sound so sexy that it turned him on, and he cleared his throat, trying to force those thoughts out of his head. "U-Um, hi…"

Thor grunted, elbowing a weapon’s grunt in the face and quickly shifting out of the way as another one tried to punch him. "Loki? What is it? Is everything okay?" 

Loki heard the sound of what he assumed to be Thor's fist slamming into someone's face, and he jumped when he heard a strangled yelp. "I-I can call back later, it sounds like you're busy."

Thor and his men were currently busting an arms dealer for selling inferior and cheap guns under the Asgardian mafia name, and they were fighting through the men that were attempting to overwhelm them. Ducking behind a large crate, Thor pulled out his gun and shot at three men on platforms above him, killing them with a single shot through the head. "No, that's alright, what do you need?" 

"I-I was wondering if you could come over sometime tonight? There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Thor dodged a bullet and cradled his phone with his ear, shooting at two men, and grabbing the wrist of a third, breaking it and shoving the man's knife through his throat. "Sure, I'll be over some time tonight." Just as quickly he twirled around, grabbing a man attempting to stab him and whirling them both back around, using his body as a shield. "It'll be a bit late, though. Maybe midnight?" 

Loki winced as he heard a man scream and the sound of gunshots, the sound bringing up bad memories. "That's fine… Um… I'll see you then. Um… Please be safe."

Hearing this put a smile on Thor's face, and he felt his heart melt at the statement. "I'll do my best. See you in a few hours."

“Okay…”

Thor hung up then and shoved the now dead body he was holding at an alpha attempting to shoot him, sliding back and grabbing another alpha by the neck. He took over his hand and made the alpha shoot three men attempting to overwhelm him, before turning the gun on the man and making him shoot himself. 

"Shit, do you think we can get to their leader?" Gasped Volstagg, one of Thor's closest friends, a member of his "Warrior's Three", and a captain of their mob. "We should've brought more men."

They both ducked behind a crate as a barrage of bullets was aimed at them, taking cover. "I don't know. If we can get to the leader then this is all over."

The pair dived behind a stone wall when the crate they were standing behind exploded, each of them trying to catch their breaths. 

"Norns, this is just like the raid on Kalwn's horde 10 years ago." Griped Volstagg, quickly peeking behind the wall and moving when he was shot at. "Our intel was wrong! And Heimdall is  _ never _ wrong. There's too many men, Thor!"

Thor cursed, reaching into his pocket for his gun. "We must have a mole." He and Volstagg switched places then, with Thor quickly taking out two men before ducking back behind the wall. "We need a plan."

Volstagg looked around them hurriedly, spotting stairs that led to the upper level of the warehouse. "There! Stairs! We can take them out from there!" 

Thor was so happy he could almost kiss the man, and he slapped his back proudly, urging him forward. "Let's take out the men on the upper level; our men can handle the rest of these guys."

Nodding, Volstagg ran up the metal stairs, Thor close on his tail. 

They cursed when they got to the top and saw that there were two men up here, guns drawn. Without a moment's hesitation, Thor and Volstagg threw their guns at the men, breaking their noses and front teeth, and catching them off guard. Without missing a step Thor and Volstagg grabbed the guns of these men, killing them and taking a moment to assess their surroundings. 

"It looks like our men need help." Sighed Volstagg, running a hand through his thick, red hair. "Let's aim for the alphas down there and take a few out before moving forward."

"Can't. We don't have enough bullets for that." Grunted Thor. "There are two snipers up ahead. Let's take them out so that we can help our men."

Volstagg nodded, so Thor crept forward, sneaking up on one of the alphas holding a sniping gun. Then, he hooked his elbow around the alpha and choked him, not stopping until the alpha laid lifeless. 

It seemed that Volstagg broke the neck of the other sniper, so now that they had access to their guns the pair went to work on the ground below, shooting at their enemies and saving the lives of their mob members. 

When the guns were empty the pair stood, noticing another level of stairs leading up to a room enclosed in plexiglass. "There. That's where their leaders are."

Volstagg frowned, quickly counting the alphas inside. "There are over a dozen men in there! We can't take on the whole room alone!" 

Thor grunted, knowing that the odds were against them. "The room is surrounded by plexiglass, so we can't just shoot through it. We need another way in."

The men scoured their surroundings like hawks, with Thor spotting an air vent 8 feet above them. "There! The air vents."

"Uh, I don't know if you've noticed Thor but I'm 6'8 and 250 pounds. I'm not fitting in that air vent any time soon." Balked Volstagg, staring at Thor like he had three heads. 

"You're not going in; I am." Stated Thor, eyeing the air vent and the passageway cautiously. He was 6'3, and while these air vents were large, he knew it would be a tight squeeze. "Help me get up there."

"Thor-"

"It's the only way we can end this. I'll be fine, come on." Thor knew that taking out the whole room was risky, but he didn't have a choice. They needed to end this and get this situation under control. 

Huffing in frustration, Volstagg squatted, lifting Thor up when the alpha stepped into his hands. Then, he stood, grunting with effort to lift Thor up. "Do you have it, mate?" 

"Almost," Murmured Thor, using his strength to tear out the vent covering. "Got it! Lift me a bit higher!" 

Volstagg grunted again and did as Thor asked, his arms beginning to shake from exertion. He was a large man that was packed with muscle, but even he couldn't handle having a heavy alpha putting all of his weight on his palms for this long. 

Once Thor was able to crawl in the air vent, he looked down at Volstagg, who was panting. "Go around this second level and take out any remaining snipers or any other men. When you're done, send men up to help me."

"Got it!" Assured Volstagg, looking up at Thor nervously. "Thor… don't be stupid."

Thor let out a gallant laugh, a proud smirk on his face. "I'll be just fine."

Volstagg rolled his eyes then and shook his head to laugh softly before running off to do as Thor commanded. 

Now that he was gone, Thor crawled through the air vents, making his way up and over the room that the enemy leader was in, stilling his breath so that he could listen. 

The leader was standing right below him, looking out at his alphas getting destroyed by Thor's men. "We gotta get outta here. They'll be up any minute."

"And lose all of our merchandise?" Scoffed one of the alphas. "Absolutely not. There's over half a million in guns down there."

Thor listened patiently as the alphas in the room went back and forth, gleaning information about this current trade. 

If these men were to be believed, there was a crooked captain in the ranks of Asgard, who was in charge of all this. The man he assumed to be the leader of this organization was just working under the traitor, who wasn't here. 

There were also 5 dozen warehouses across Asgard's region of influence that were selling cheap and counterfeit guns and weapons under the Asgardian mob name, which was alarming. 

Asgard took pride in the weapons it sold, and to hear that this crooked captain had been orchestrating the sale of counterfeit products was infuriating. 

Thor continued to listen, narrowing his eyes when the door opened down below. 

"Boss, we gotta get outta here. Asgard's mob is too strong. We're not gonna make it." Gasped the grunt entering the room. "We have about 2 minutes to go. There's already a car out back waiting for you."

Thor decided that he would use this distraction to his advantage and jumped down from the air vent, landing right on top of the leader working under the crooked captain from Asgsrd's mob. 

Without missing a beat he shot three of the 12 men in rapid succession, yanking up their leader and putting a gun to his head as everyone in the room pulled their guns on him. 

"I don't think so," Tutted Thor, holding their leader in a death grip. "Unless you want him dead, drop your weapons."

The alphas looked at each other nervously, before one of them sneered. "Who the hell do you think you are, to demand that?" 

" _ Simon _ !" Hissed the leader, a bead of sweat rolling down his face when Thor gripped him even tighter. "He's the Underboss of the Asgardian mob! Shut the  _ fuck  _ up! I don't want to die!" 

The man that spoke gulped nervously, still pointing his gun at Thor. "I've got a clear shot, boss! I can take him-" 

Thor quickly shot the man straight through his forehead, silencing him. "Anyone else want to try and take me down?" 

"Don't you dare fucking move you little  _ shits _ !" Cursed the leader, glaring at them. 

"I will not ask again. Drop your weapons." Demanded Thor, narrowing his eyes at the men. He sent out a menacing pheromone, every single alpha in the room beginning to get nervous. 

One by one they dropped their weapons, setting them on the floor. Before Thor could speak, one of the alphas grabbed their gun from the floor and shot at Thor unexpectedly, grazing at his side. 

Thor groaned from the pain and shot the man in retaliation, killing him. 

Now he was  _ pissed _ . 

Using the leader's body as a shield, Thor began to shoot at the remaining alphas, not caring when the alpha he was holding bellowed from receiving the shots aimed at Thor. 

When his gun was empty Thor threw it at an alpha close by and snatched his gun from him, killing him and three other men in rapid succession. 

When there were just two alphas left, they both dropped their guns, beginning to plead with Thor. "I don't wanna die! I-I'm sorry! I-" His voice was cut off when Thor shot him through the skull, and he killed the last member just the same, before tossing the leader's bullet-riddled body into the ground. 

Volstagg and a few members of their mob entered then, shock and awe on their faces when they realized that Thor managed to kill them all. 

Volstagg's awe turned into concern when he noticed that Thor was bleeding, and he rushed over to his side when Thor stumbled, beginning to panic. "Shit, Thor! What the hell?!" 

Thor grunted, looking down at his side. It seemed like the bullet only grazed him, but that didn't mean it hurt any less. "I'm fine. It just grazed me."

"We gotta get this patched up! I'll call Eir, she'll-" 

"I'll call her myself," Grunted Thor. "I have somewhere to be."

Volstagg tried to stop him, but Thor brushed him off, grimacing as he walked down the steps of the warehouse. He promised Loki that he would stop by, and he'd be damned if he didn't make it there. 

He was bleeding pretty badly, but he knew that he couldn't drive to the hospital. They called the police on all gunshot wound victims, and he didn't have the desire to get wrapped up in all of that. 

Volstagg and their men would tie up any loose ends here at this warehouse, so Thor stumbled to his car, managing to get in. He didn't even bother to strap himself in and just drove, counting down the seconds until he arrived at Loki’s place. 

It took him about 10 minutes to get there, and after arriving he forced himself to walk up every step, knocking weakly on Loki's door. 

A few seconds later Loki opened the door, a nervous look on his face. "Hey… Sleipnir is still awake, so come in. I'll put him to bed in a moment."

Thor nodded, stumbling past Loki and grunting. 

The smell of blood immediately hit Loki's nostrils and he gasped, reaching out to steady Thor. "Oh my Norns! Thor, you're bleeding! Shit, shit come here!" 

Thor let Loki help him over to one of the couches, where a wide-eyed Sleipnir was watching, mouth open in disbelief. 

Loki approached Thor's abdomen with shaking hands, absolutely  _ furious  _ with the alpha. "Why didn't you go to the hospital?! Look at you! You're a mess!" 

Thor grunted when Loki pulled up his shirt, the cold air stinging the wound. "I promised you I would come over tonight."

Loki was so  _ scared  _ and so  _ furious,  _ and he gasped again when he saw the wound. "You were  _ shot _ ? Thor you fucking idiot, I wouldn't have been mad if you couldn't have come! Norns!" 

Thor realized that the wound  _ might've  _ been a bit more serious than he realized, as he was still bleeding heavily and getting light-headed. He tried to speak, but he couldn't, his tongue feeling heavy in his mouth. 

Loki inhaled sharply when he noticed Thor beginning to nod in and out of consciousness, pulling out his cellphone and dialing emergency services. 

It took them about 5 minutes to get there, and once they arrived Loki immediately backed up, letting them work on Thor. 

Sleipnir came over to his side and pulled at his shirt, silently asking to be picked up, so Loki picked the little boy up, nervously kissing his brow. "Everything will be okay, sweetheart."

Sleipnir didn't seem to believe him, looking over as they loaded Thor onto a stretcher. "Are you sure?" 

Before Loki could answer, a paramedic approached him, rushing through his words. "Are you riding with us to the hospital?" 

Loki was nodding before he could process the statement, slipping on his shoes and rushing out the door, Sleipnir clinging onto him tightly. 

The ride to the hospital was frightening for Loki, and he tried his best to soothe Thor  _ and  _ Sleipnir, feeling too many emotions at once. He was scared, he was angry, he was nervous, he wanted to  _ cry _ , but he held it all together, trying to stay strong. 

They arrived at a hospital 10 minutes later, with Thor being rushed to a room. It seemed that he'd only fainted from blood loss, so after setting him with an IV drip and tending to his wound, the doctor turned to Loki, wanting some answers. "What happened, sir? What is your relationship with this man?" 

"He's my boyfriend," Lied Loki, knowing that he would be kicked out of the room and not told any information unless he stated this. "We were going out for ice cream, and someone mugged us. My boyfriend tried to fight him off, and ended up getting shot."

The doctor shook her head sadly, sympathy on her face. "I'm so sorry, sir. Your boyfriend didn't have any internal injuries and was just grazed. This was a minor bullet wound, so he  _ will  _ be okay. We gave him some heavy sedatives, so he should be out for the next hour or two. When he wakes up, please come get me." 

Loki nodded, his shoulders sagging in relief. Hearing that Thor would be okay and that he didn't need surgery eased his anxiousness, and he sat down at a chair next to his bed, kissing Sleipnir's temple. The little boy had been quiet this whole time, and when Thor woke up Loki was going to tear him a new one for scaring them like this. "Are you alright, love?" 

Sleipnir nodded, nestling his face closer into the scent gland on Loki's neck. "Is Mr. Thor going to be okay?" 

"Yes," Murmured Loki, rubbing soothing circles into his son's back. And we'll stay with him until he wakes up, okay?"

Sleipnir nodded, wrapping his arms tighter around Loki, so the omega began to hum, lulling his son to sleep. 

About an hour later two police officers entered Thor's room, greeting Loki. "Hello, sir. I'm Officer McGrady, this is Officer Jones. Can you tell us a bit about what happened?" 

Loki knew from experience that he needed to lie to save Thor, so he nodded, weaving a tale. "There's an ice cream shop a block away from our apartment that is open pretty late. Our son wanted some ice cream, so we all left, and on the way there, someone attempted to mug us. My boyfriend fought him off, and ended up getting shot in the process."

One of the officers wrote this down, humming softly. "Why didn't you call an ambulance immediately?" 

"My boyfriend didn't think it was as bad as it was. Once we returned to our apartment, we realized how bad the wound was, and called 911."

The officer hummed again. "Did you get a good look at the assailant?" 

Loki just described Svadilfari, knowing that at least him doing this would make the police be on the lookout for the alpha. "He was tall, about an inch taller than my husband. And he had short gray hair in a military buzz cut. His eyes were dark brown, almost black."

The officer wrote down Loki's description of him, going over a few more things and asking some more questions before finishing. "Thank you for answering my questions, sir. We'll be outside waiting, so please come get us when your boyfriend wakes up."

"I will," Assured Loki, waiting for the officers to leave before sighing in relief. "Norns…"

"Mommy?"

Loki looked down at Sleipnir, surprised that he was awake. "Yes, sweetheart?" 

"Why did you lie to the police?" 

"... Because Thor would get in trouble if I told the truth." Answered Loki. 

Sleipnir looked up at him, a curious look in his sage green eyes. "But you said lying is bad."

"Lying  _ is  _ bad, but only in certain situations. Remember how Mommy would lie to Daddy about loving him more than you, so I could protect you? Mommy lied to the police so I could protect Mr. Thor." Explained Loki. 

This seemed to be a good enough of an explanation, so Sleipnir hummed, relaxing back in Loki's arms. 

Another hour passed before Thor stirred, so Loki sat forward in his chair, resting a comforting hand on Thor's wrist. "Thor?" 

Thor groaned, wincing as he shifted in bed. "Why am I at a hospital?" 

"Because you were  _ dying,"  _ Hissed Loki, getting upset all over again. "Why in the  _ heavens  _ did you think coming to me was a good idea?" 

Thor grunted, beginning to blink open his eyes. "I promised you I would come over."

Loki shook his head in frustration. "I would've understood you not coming over if you told me you got  _ shot _ ! You scared me and Sleipnir half to death!" 

Thor felt guilty for scaring the pair and sighed, deep-sea blue eyes meeting sage green ones. "I'm sorry, Loki." He looked at Sleipnir next. "I'm sorry, Sleipnir. I didn't mean to scare you both."

Sleipnir didn't say anything, choosing to burrow his face into the crook of Loki's neck instead, so Loki sighed, rubbing soothing strokes down his son's back. "I told the staff and the cops that we're dating. We went out for ice cream, a man that looked like my ex-husband attempted to mug us, and you saved us, but got shot in the process."

Thor relaxed when he heard this, relieved. "Thank you."

Loki reached out for a call button on Thor's bed next, alerting the doctor that Thor was awake. "They'll most likely ask you the same thing, so tell them that."

Laughing softly, Thor nodded, sitting up in bed and grunting. "I'm sorry."

Loki bit a lower lip, feeling his eyes water as the events of the past three hours washed over him. "You're my only friend… I didn't want you to die." 

Thor's heart broke when Loki's voice cracked at the end, and he frowned, reaching out to take Loki's hand. Knowing that the omega felt they were friends left him feeling warm and fuzzy inside, and he began to feel even more guilty for scaring him. "I'm sorry for scaring you and your son. I'll be alright, I promise."

The doctor entered the room then with a nurse and the cops, so the pair separated, Loki remaining silent as the doctor checked over him, and the cops asked Thor a few questions. 

Thor just repeated what Loki told him to say to the cops, so after letting him know that they would be in touch, Thor turned to his doctor, watching her check his wound. 

She seemed satisfied that he wasn't bleeding anymore and looked up at him and Loki, snapping off her gloves. "So everything looks great. If you're both okay with it, I can discharge you tonight."

Thor nodded, not wanting to be here longer than necessary. "Please."

"I need you to remain on bed rest for at  _ least _ a week. You need to clean your wound with a solution we'll give you, every 8 hours until the wound begins to scab over."

The pair listened as the doctor gave them the rest of the instructions, and waited until she was gone before speaking again. 

"I'll call one of my men and have them take you home, Loki."

Loki shook his head no, surprising Thor. "You shouldn't be alone right now. Spend the night at our place.  _ Please _ ." 

Thor and Loki stared off before Thor side, having no desire to debate about this. He was really tired and wanted to rest. “...Alright…”

Loki was just glad that Thor didn’t fight against this, and waited for the discharge agent to leave before speaking to Thor again. “I-I don’t have a car and I don’t know how to drive, so you should probably call one of your men to drive us back to my apartment.”

Thor nodded, reaching for his phone and making a few calls. He called Volstagg to let him know he was okay, he called his father to let him know that he would meet with him tomorrow afternoon to discuss what happened and finally called one of his men to come to pick them up.

It took about 30 minutes for one of Thor’s henchmen to arrive, and by then Thor was just ready to fall asleep. He felt guilty about scaring Loki and Sleipnir and was doped up on painkillers.

Once they arrived back at Loki’s apartment, Loki told Thor to wait on the couch so that he could put Sleipnir to sleep and waited until the alpha was seated before heading back to Sleipnir’s bed. The young alpha was obviously exhausted and whimpered when Loki set him in bed. “No, Mommy!”

Loki frowned, sitting his son up. “What’s wrong, Sleipnir? It’s late… it’s time to go to bed.”

Sleipnir frowned, reaching out for him. “Don’t go!”

Now Loki was confused, and he reached out to caress his son’s cheek, a bit worried. “Why don’t you want Mommy to leave, sweetheart?”

“Because Mr. Thor is gonna hurt you and make you cry!”

It took a few seconds for Loki to understand what Sleipnir meant, and once he did his heart sunk down to his stomach. Back when they lived with Svadilfari, every time the alpha wanted to fuck him, he would burst into his bedroom, and demand that Sleipnir leave the room. Then, he would fuck Loki and promptly leave after he finished. Loki would try and not cry until Sleipnir fell back asleep, but sometimes he wasn’t always able to stop his tears, and the young boy would kiss them away and comfort him.

It seemed like Sleipnir believed that Thor was going to hurt Loki just like Svadilfari did, and Loki tutted, leaning forward to kiss the young boy’s forehead. “Sleipnir… Mr. Thor won’t hurt Mommy. He’s actually hurt right now, and needs Mommy to take care of him.”

Sleipnir seemed to not believe him, and looked up at Loki, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “I don’t want him to hurt you, Mama!”

Loki couldn’t leave his son alone after this confession, and pulled his son back into his arms, shushing him gently. “How about you and Mommy sleep in the living room tonight? We can watch TV until you fall asleep, and it’ll be just you and me.” He didn’t want Thor sleeping out on the couch with his injury, so he and Sleipnir would be sleeping out on the couches tonight.

This seemed to make Sleipnir happy, and the boy nodded, kissing Loki’s cheek. “Okay!”

Making his way back out to the living room, Loki set Sleipnir down on the couch, feeling bad for Thor. The alpha was knocked out, and was barely coherent due to the painkillers running through his system. “Thor? You can sleep in my bed. Come on, I’ll walk you back to it.”

“‘S alright, Loki,” Mumbled Thor, his head lulling to the side. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Loki tutted, shaking his head. “No, you’re not sleeping on the couch in your condition. Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

Thor wasn’t in a state to disagree, and he allowed Loki to help him stand, being led back to Loki’s bedroom. He was asleep once his head hit the pillow, and after making sure he was tucked in, Loki grabbed spare blankets and pillows and made his way out to the living room, where Sleipnir was waiting.

“Want to make a pillow fort, Sleipnir?” This was something that they often did when they lived with Svadilfari whenever Sleipnir was nervous or feeling scared, so Loki hoped that it would help the boy tonight.

“Yeah!” Grinned Sleipnir, getting up to help Loki set it up. “I wanna watch Space Pups!”

Laughing softly, Loki ruffled his son’s hair, relieved that he was seemingly feeling better. “Of course. We’ll have a Space Pups marathon.”

After building their pillow fort, Loki and Sleipnir nestled close, wrapped in each other’s embrace.

And either of them wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

**༺♥༻**

  
  
  



	6. Closer

**༺♥༻**

Thor woke up surrounded by the riveting scent of warm honey and vanilla. 

The heavenly fragrance wafted into his nostrils and seemed to take over, easing any stress or worries from his mind. His body immediately relaxed completely for the first time in years, and when he opened his eyes, he found that there was a gentle smile on his face. 

Before he could stop himself, Thor was reaching out and taking another pillow into his arms, seemingly addicted to this scent now. He inhaled deeply and groaned, his eyes fluttering closed. He felt like he was swimming in Loki’s scent,  _ drowning _ in it even, and it captivated him to the point where he felt like he was getting high on the addictive pheromones. He wondered if it was the narcotics that were making him act like this, and tried to calm down, not wanting to get riled up by something like this.

He barely registered the door of the bedroom opening and groaned, blinking slowly. "Loki?" 

Loki hummed softly, padding over to Thor's side as quietly as he could. "It's time for your next dose of medicine."

Thor grunted, still feeling impossibly tired. "What time is it?" 

"It's 12 in the afternoon," Answered Loki, reaching out to grab Thor's cleaning solution and some gauze. "Let me help you clean your wound."

Loki had done _ more _ than enough for him, so Thor protested, grunting again and sitting up. He tried to ignore the pain in his side and ran a tired hand through his hair, stifling a yawn. "I didn't mean to impose on you for so long. I'll leave now."

Loki gently pushed Thor back into bed, tutting softly. "You were shot, Thor. You need to be off of your feet for at least 24 hours."

Thor shook his head, shifting to stand up again. "I've overstayed my welcome. Besides, I have to report to my father. If I stay here any longer, he might find out about you."

This was something that Loki wanted to avoid at all costs, and he nodded, biting a lower lip nervously. "Well alright… at least send a text to let me know you made it home safely."

Laughing softly, Thor nodded and stood, wincing when he stretched too far. "I'll do that. Before I go though, I need to know why you wanted me to come over last night."

Loki honestly didn't want to ask Thor for a single thing after the night they had, but Sleipnir being able to go to school was the most important thing in his to do list right now. "Um… I don't have the correct documents to get Sleipnir registered for school. It starts next month, so I have to register him by next week or else he can't start kindergarten this year. And… I was hoping that I could ask you to craft new identities for us as well… I don't want my ex tracking us down."

Pulling out his phone, Thor stared at the screen with bleary eyes, scrolling through his contact list. Finally finding the contact, Thor dialed them, bringing the phone to his ear. "Hogun."

Hogun was the final member of Thor's "Warriors Three", and was also responsible for all of Asgardian Mafia’s documents and paperwork; both legal and illegal. He was also who they used when they needed a spy, as the man had a very inconspicuous look to him. "Thor! Do you know your father has been up my  _ ass  _ about you?! You can't just disappear for 24 hours! Especially after getting shot!" 

Thor sighed as his friend chastised him, deciding to interrupt the man. "Hogun, I know. You can tear me a new one in a few hours. Right now I need you to do something for me."

"...What do you need?" 

"Stop by Harbor's Manor apartment complex today ASAP. Come to apartment 23C. You will meet an omega and his son that need new identities. And you can tell  _ no one  _ about this. Understood?" 

Hogun sighed, giving into Thor's demands. "I can be there in an hour."

"Great. I also need you to drive him wherever he needs to go, today."

"I'm not a fucking babysitter, Thor. Get one of your other men to do that."

Frowning, Thor huffed, getting irritated with his friend. "No one can know about this omega's existence. This is why I need you to do this for me."

"...Fine." Sighed Hogun. "I can be there in an hour. I don't have all day, so tell that omega they better be ready to go after I finish creating their documents."

Thanking his friend, Thor ended the call and turned towards Loki, who had been patiently waiting for him. "Someone will be over to assist you with this in an hour. I also told him to take you wherever you need to go today. Hopefully, you'll be able to get to the school and register Sleipnir today."

A wave of relief washed over Loki, and he nodded, gathering Thor's things. "At least let me walk you back to your car."

Thor didn't protest, and forced himself to slip on his shoes, leaving the bedroom and the apartment with Loki. "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused, Loki. Please tell Sleipnir this as well."

Helping Thor into his car, Loki shook his head, not wanting Thor to worry. “It's quite alright, Thor. Just… text me when you get home safely, please."

This put a soft smile on Thor's face, and he nodded, thanking Loki again before closing the door. The omega waved at him as he drove off, and he honked his horn politely, feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It was amazing that he could feel like this again after being so detached for so long, and… and it was nice. He wasn’t expecting anything from Loki, and he never would. But knowing that the younger omega believed they were friends put a warm smile on Thor’s face, and a content feeling in his heart.

Of course, once he arrived back at his penthouse, he knew that he would have to explain himself to his father. He wasn’t surprised to see that his door was unlocked, and stepped into his penthouse, closing it. 

“I was wondering where you’ve been.”

Even after all of this time, Thor still jumped at the sound of his father’s voice, and he turned, greeting the man. “Hello, Father.”

Odin smirked, an amused glint in his cerulean eyes. “You smell like an omega.”

Thor sighed, noticing that the mob’s personal doctor and surgeon Eir was present as well. “I was patched up yesterday and given some medicine. I’m fine.”

Eir stepped forward, gently lifting up Thor’s shirt to look at his wound. “Hm… it will definitely take at least a month before you’re back to normal.” She looked up at him then, staring into his eyes. “You drove while under the influence of narcotics?” 

Thor sighed, moving to set his things down on a nearby counter. “I’m  _ fine _ , Eir. I just got grazed. I’ll be back in the field in a week.”

Odin grunted, drawing attention to himself. “You certainly won’t. You’re not going anywhere for the next three weeks.” He narrowed his eyes when Thor began to protest, not wanting to hear it. “Volstagg told me about what happened. If you’re going to be the boss of this mafia when I step down, you  _ can’t _ be so reckless! What if you had died? What if that bullet had been just a few inches closer to your major organs? What then?”

Thor got this lecture every time he was stabbed or shot, and groaned, walking away from his father. “I’m  _ fine _ , Father. If I didn’t take control of the situation the way I did, we wouldn’t have the intel that we have now.”

Odin stared at him curiously then. “What intel? Volstagg told me that everyone was killed and that the production was shut down.”

Thor wanted nothing more than to just sleep in his bed, but he knew that his father needed to know the information that he learned last night. “Let me sit down first, at least.”

Eir helped him over to one of the couches in his living room, and set him down carefully, making sure that he wasn’t overexerting himself. “I’ll get you some water, Thor.”

“Thank you,” Murmured Thor, setting his father with a serious look. “We need all of our men on this, and we need to plan this bust carefully. While taking over the weapons stronghold, I learned that the captain Elmeind was responsible for creating the counterfeit weapons, and distributing them to our customers. There are 25 other warehouses with counterfeit weapons, spread throughout our region of influence. I don’t know all of the locations, but there should be some information on the laptops and hard drives that were recovered from the site. I know that our takedown of the warehouse yesterday has them on edge, but… as long as we have a plan, we should be able to systematically take them all down at once.”

Odin frowned as Thor continued to explain, obviously displeased with this information. “Norns… I’ll have Heimdall and his men jump on this today. Give them a week to gather more information before we come together to discuss how to move forward. In the meantime, you’ll be here recovering from your wound.” He raised a hand to silence Thor’s protests, not wanting to hear it. “This is not up for debate. I need you to heal quickly so that you can be at the front of this operation.”

Sighing softly, Thor sipped at the water Eir handed him, knowing that his father spoke the truth. “... I understand.”

Standing up, Odin looked down at Thor, minute worry in his gaze. “Eir will remain with you for the next two days. Depend on her.  _ Please _ .”

Thor didn’t like it when he made his father worry, so he looked away, nodding again. “I will. And… and tell Mother that I’m alright, please. I know she’s worried sick.”

“She’s not feeling well and is at home resting. She didn’t want to get you sick, otherwise, she’d have been here.” Answered Odin. “I’ll let her know you’re alright.” Odin clasped at his son’s shoulder then, squeezing him gently. “I’ll bring everyone over in a week to update you, and discuss our plans.”

Thor was so exhausted that he could barely nod, and he shifted to stand, thankful when Eir helped him. “Alright.”

Eir led him to his bed and settled him in, making sure that he was comfortable. “I will check on you every hour, Thor. Please rest.”

It was disappointing to not be surrounded by Loki’s scent anymore, and he frowned, wondering if he would ever get the chance to be enveloped in Loki’s inviting scent once again. Thinking of Loki reminded him that he was supposed to send the omega a text, and he pulled out his phone from his pocket, sending out a quick message before passing out, the medicine in his system making sure that he would be knocked out for a few hours.

**༺♥༻**

Loki received a text from Thor 40 minutes after he left, which was a relief. Now that Thor was home safe, he could focus on getting the documents necessary for Sleipnir to be in school, and get new identities made for them. He didn’t want to change either of their first names, but he definitely wanted to change their last names, so that they would no longer be tied to Svadilfari.

Sleipnir was currently engrossed in his video game, and didn’t even move when an unsure knock sounded at the door. Laughing and ruffling his son’s hair, Loki stood up to answer the door, beginning to feel nervous. He didn’t know who Thor was sending over to help him, and didn’t know how any of this worked. Nevertheless, he opened the door, surprised to see a beta male on the other side. They stared at each other awkwardly for a few seconds before Loki remembered that he should  _ probably _ invite the man in. “Norns, sorry… Um, I’m Loki. Please, come in.”

The man laughed to himself, making his way into Loki’s apartment with a large duffle bag. “So you’re Thor’s mystery omega?”

Loki raised a confused eyebrow at the beta, not understanding. “I-I-”

“He’s just been blathering on about how he found the most enchanting omega for the past few months. None of us ever saw you, so we weren’t sure you actually existed.” Explained the man. “I’m Hogun, by the way.”

Loki blushed deeply, blown away that Thor felt this way about him. “Isn’t he married?”

Hogun shot him an amused look, setting his duffel bag on Loki’s couch. “Thor? No. He was engaged when he was 25, but… that didn’t work out. He’s been single ever since.”

This information was surprising, and Loki hummed, finding that he just wanted to know more and more about Thor. “Does… he have any children?”

Hogun continued to set up his things, shaking his head no. “What is this, 20 questions?” He laughed when he saw Loki blush further, gesturing for him to come and sit down. “No, he doesn’t have children. He’s just a lonely old man living in a giant penthouse, with no one to talk to.”

This description was so…  _ sad _ , and Loki frowned slightly, sitting down on the couch. He was honestly surprised to hear these things about Thor, and wondered why the alpha was so keen on not wanting anything from him. In his past, lonely older men always sought him out, forcing him to say that he loved them or would never leave them, while they fucked him. Then, after their hour was up, they’d leave, and he’d be left there, not even able to clean himself up for the next person. But when he’d tried to sleep with Thor, the alpha rebuffed him, insisting that he wasn’t helping Loki in the hopes that he could get something from him.

And now that he knew this much about Thor, he couldn’t help but wonder why Thor didn’t want anything from him. “I-Is he… is he only attracted to alphas?”

Hogun let out a loud laugh, sitting down across from Loki and setting up three monitors on the coffee table in front of him. “The chances of Ragnarok happening tomorrow are more likely than Thor ever being attracted to an alpha.”

Humming softly, Loki looked down, running this information through his mind. So if Thor wasn’t attracted to alphas, he was not married and he had no children, then… there should be nothing stopping him from pursuing the omega. But he’d rejected him when he attempted to start a sexual relationship, and while he was relieved that Thor didn’t want a sexual relationship with him - and didn’t expect it - he was struggling to accept the reality that Thor really wanted nothing from him, and just… wanted to help.

“So you need new identities?”

Loki snapped his head up, looking over at Hogun. “Uh, yes. Yes. My son and I need new identities and documents.”

Hogun hummed, typing something on his laptop. “What do you want your new names to be?”

“I still want us to keep our first names.” Answered Loki, shifting a section of his hair behind his ear. “Is that alright?”

Hogun nodded, continuing to type. “Do you need all new documents?”

“Yeah,” Sighed Loki, looking over at Sleipnir. The boy was staring at them curiously, video game forgotten. “Sleipnir… Mommy is changing our last name. What would you like it to be?”

Sleipnir raised a confused eyebrow at Loki. “We can change our last name?”

“Just this once. Would you like to choose a new name together?”

Smiling, Sleipnir put down his switch and crawled over to Loki on the couch, nestling into his side. “Space pups!”

“Space pups can’t be our last name, Sleipnir,” Laughed Loki, ruffling his son’s hair. “It has to be a normal last name.”

Sleipnir thought for a few seconds, the look on his face as he thought absolutely  _ adorable _ . “Mason!”

Mason was the name of the astronomist on the “Space Pups” TV show his son liked, but… it  _ was  _ a normal-sounding last name, so Loki nodded, wrapping a comforting arm around his son. “Then our new last name will be Mason.”

Hogun typed this into his laptop, looking over a few things. “You’re sure? Once I do this, it’ll be  _ really _ hard to change. You need to be certain.”

Loki looked down at Sleipnir, who was looking back up at him, hope shining in his eyes. And Loki knew that as long as this was a name that made Sleipnir happy, and a name that they chose together, this was all that mattered. “I like the last name. We’ll keep it as Mason.”

“Then your last name is Mason,” Murmured Hogun, continuing to type at a rapid-fire pace. He didn’t say anything for the next 10 minutes, finally looking up at Loki for a moment. “I need to take your picture.”

Loki blinked in bewilderment, feeling flustered. “Why do you need my picture? I-I-”

“Calm down; it’s not for a wanted poster. I just need it for your driver’s license.” Assured Hogun, pulling out his phone. “Stand up with the plain white wall as your background; it’ll make it easier to photoshop.”

Loki stood up warily, making his way to a nearby wall and standing in front of it. “I don’t know how to drive… won’t they know about this when I present it as a legal document?”

“Nope,” Answered Hogun, finishing up something on one of the screens before standing. “Right now I have full access to your entire legal identity. As far as the government is concerned, you got your license right when you turned 16, on your birthday.” He stood up then, walking over to Loki and standing in front of him. “I don’t meet too many people that were born on Christmas; it’s like we all need to join a support group.” He laughed as he pulled out his phone, beginning to take Loki’s picture. “We’re the only ones that understand how annoying it is to only get Christmas presents and not birthday presents.”

Loki smiled sadly, trying to not think of his birthday. His birthday was… a sore subject for him, and it honestly brought up a lot of things that he wasn’t ready to process or deal with right now. Instead, he tucked a section of hair behind his ear, trying to turn his sad smile into a confident one. 

Taking the picture, Hogun looked it over, humming appreciatively. “Very nice. I can certainly see why Thor’s so obsessed with you.”

This put an amused smile on Loki’s face, and he followed Hogun back over to the couches, sitting down. He was amazed to see Hogun working out of so many programs, and couldn’t help but scoot closer, staring at the various computer screens in awe.

Hogun looked over at Loki for a moment before going back to his work, pointing at a screen. “ _ This _ program gives me access to the government’s records for SSN for every citizen in this country. And  _ this _ program allows me to seamlessly create a valid license for you for every single state in the country.”

Loki scooted even closer, amazed at all of this. “How did you get access to this?”

“Something called the dark web,” Answered Hogun, turning one of his screens towards Loki. “It’s a lawless place that no government in the world can monitor or control; a lot of shady shit goes down in here.”

As Hogun explained what he was doing and how he was doing it to Loki, the omega took it all in, absolutely  _ fascinated _ by what he was learning. He’d never really been allowed to access the internet while he was with Svadilfari, and he’d been too poor when he was with his father to even have a computer or phone, so he listened intently as Hogun taught him what he was doing, surprised that the beta was being so nice. 

It took about an hour for Hogun to finish, and by the end of it Loki felt happier than he’d been in a long time. It’d been so long since he’d actually just sat down and  _ learned _ something, and it made him feel giddy almost, to be taught something new.

Once Hogun completed everything and printed everything out on special paper, he stamped what needed to be stamped, looking over each document and making sure that it was perfect. “Alright… everything looks great. You should be able to sign your son up for school and use these documents for whatever reason. They’re as legitimate as it gets.”

Loki took his new license in his hands, amazed that Hogun had been able to do such a good job. The license even had the special reflective coating and seal within it, all of Loki’s information accurate. “Norns, this is amazing.”

Hogun grinned, beginning to pack up his things. “Doing this is my pride and joy. I love doing things like this.”

“I wish I knew how to work computers as you do,” Sighed Loki, staring at the equipment forlornly. 

“If you want, I could stop by once a week and teach you.”

Loki was  _ floored _ by the offer and laughed, an amazed smile on his face. “You would really do that?”

“Sure. Technology is the  _ one _ thing that makes me happy in life, and I don’t mind teaching you how to use it. It’ll only benefit the mob, anyway.” Answered Hogun, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. 

Loki didn’t want to tell Hogun that he wasn’t a member of the Asgardian mob, so he nodded, keeping that information to himself. “Well, I work every day of the week except for Wednesday and Thursday… I’m also off at 5 pm every day after work. I can work around you.”

“Noted.” Stated the beta, beginning to pack up his things. “Thor told me that I need to take you wherever you need to go today. Where do you need to go?”

“I need to register Sleipnir for school if you don’t mind…”

Hogun looked over at the little boy, a curious look on his face. “Is… that Thor’s kid? How long have you been together?”

Loki shook his head quickly, not wanting Hogun to misunderstand. “No, Valhalla no. This is my son. I met Thor a little over 4 months ago. We’re just… friends.”

Tutting to himself, Hogun zipped his duffle bag up, dropping the issue. “Alright, well… I’m ready to go if you are?”

“I am,” Answered Loki, turning to Sleipnir. “Sleipnir, let’s put on your shoes. We’re going on an important mission.”

The little boy perked up here, looking up from his gaming device. “A mission?”

“Yep. After we accomplish it, we can go out and get some ice cream.” Promised Loki, ruffling his son’s hair. “So let’s put on your shoes.”

Sleipnir set his gaming device aside and rushed to get his shoes, slipping them on once he returned to Loki’s side. “Can I get a lot of sprinkles?”

“You can get all the sprinkles you want,” Murmured Loki, tying Sleipnir’s shoes. “Now let’s go on our mission.”

“‘Kay!” Cheered Sleipnir, jumping up from the couch and taking Loki’s hand. 

Loki was admittedly nervous about him and Sleipnir getting into the car with a stranger, but he knew that Thor would never let anyone hurt them. Besides, Hogun seemed nice enough, and he would be coming over to help Loki learn about computers and hacking, so the omega tried his best to calm down, making sure Sleipnir was settled into the back seat before leaving.

Once he had strapped himself in Hogun pulled off, looking up the school Loki wanted to go to and setting his maps for it. “You said you’ve known Thor for a few months?”

“Yes,” Answered Loki, trying to relax. “He saved Sleipnir and I from being assaulted, and helped me get a job in the cafe below my apartment.”

“Hm. How long have you been in the mob?”

“Not long. I joined after Thor saved us,” Lied Loki. “I didn’t have too many options.”

Hogun nodded, expecting this answer. “Well, I’m always happy to help teach someone how to do what I do, in order to help improve the mob.”

Loki hummed softly, relieved that Hogun believed him. The pair spoke about aimless things while they drove to the nearby elementary school, and Loki was relieved to just be speaking to another adult. He loved Sleipnir, but… sometimes it was nice to speak to people other than his son.

He was thankfully able to get Sleipnir registered for the school year and sent a silent prayer up to the Norns to thank them for allowing these forged documents to work. Hogun seemed pleased that they worked too, a confident smirk on his face when Loki returned to the car. “They worked?”

“They did,” Replied Loki, sitting down in the car after settling Sleipnir in the backseat. “He is scheduled to begin school the 3rd Monday of August.”

Hogun hummed, pulling out of the school’s parking lot. “How old is he?”

“He just turned five, actually,” Responded Loki, a gentle smile on his face. “Thank you again, Hogun. If you hadn’t helped us, we would’ve been so fucked.”

The beta smirked, heading back towards Loki’s apartment. “Well, when Thor asks you for a favor, it isn’t in your best interests to say  _ no _ .” He laughed then, shaking his head in amusement. “I love the guy though. Him, Fandral, Volstagg and I have been best friends since before we could talk. I love them all to death.”

Loki had never met Fandral or Volstagg - he didn’t even know who these men were - but it was nice hearing about Thor’s life. “What is Thor like, when he’s not on the job?”

“He’s… a lovable oaf.” Began Hogun, his eyes shifting over to Loki for a moment. “When you fuck with someone or something he cares about though, you’re as good as dead. Once he’s set his sight on something, he’s not letting go or forgetting about it until he’s accomplished whatever it is.”

Loki smiled in amusement, intrigued by this tidbit of information. Hearing this also made it easier to trust Thor, as hearing about him from a close friend helped the alpha seem more…  _ human _ . He and Hogun continued to talk on the way back to Loki’s apartment, and once they arrived the pair exchanged numbers, with Hogun promising to come over on Loki’s next day off to teach him more about computers and hacking.

After getting inside the apartment Loki headed to the kitchen to make dinner for Sleipnir and himself, quite happy about his day. He’d made a new friend that seemed to receive Sleipnir’s acceptance, as the boy hadn’t protested him spending time with Loki or talking to him.

Sleipnir had honestly been really good today, so Loki looked through the cabinets for some brownie mix, relieved when he saw it. “Sleipnir?”

“Yeah, Mama?” Shouted the boy from the living room, eyes glued to his gaming system. 

“Do you want some brownies?”

“Yeah!” Cheered the boy, getting up to run into the kitchen. “Fudge brownies! With a lot a lot of fudge!”

Opening the box, Loki grabbed a mixing bowl, pouring the flour into the bowl. “Want to help Mommy make the brownies?”

Sleipnir nodded, grinning with excitement. Setting down his gaming system on the counter, he ran over to Loki, standing on his tiptoes to reach the counter. “I wanna put the eggs in!”

Laughing softly, Loki picked Sleipnir up so that he could reach the counter, unable to stop smiling at this moment of domesticity. Knowing that they were  _ free _ and actually happy now meant so much to him, and he pressed a dozen kisses into his son’s cheek, thanking the Norns for allowing them to experience just being together, at this moment.

And he could only believe that these moments were just the beginning and that one day, everything  _ would _ be okay.

**༺♥༻**

Loki didn’t hear from Thor for a week, and he couldn’t help but worry. The alpha usually came over at least once a week to check on him and Sleipnir, and if he couldn’t make it he always called him, wanting to make sure that they were okay. Loki was too nervous to actually call Thor, but after a week and a half of not hearing from the alpha, Loki decided to suck it up, and just call him before going to sleep that night.

Surprisingly the alpha answered on the third ring, his groggy voice making a furious blush spread across Loki’s face. 

“Hello?”

“U-Um, H-Hi!” Squeaked Loki, his voice hitching awkwardly. Thor’s sleepy voice was  _ literally _ the most attractive sound he’d ever heard, and he cleared his throat nervously, trying to not be weird. “Hi. Um… how are you?”

Thor cleared his throat, obviously exhausted. “I’m sorry that I haven’t been over. The medicine they have me on has me asleep for most of the day.”

“That’s alright!” Rushed Loki, not wanting Thor to feel bad. “I-I was just worried… I don’t have a car, so I couldn’t come to check on you. And Sleipnir was worried too…”

This seemed to surprise Thor, and Loki could almost picture the smile on his face. “Really?”

“Yeah… he just asked me if you were coming over, and said that he hoped you didn’t die because he knew it would make me sad.”

The alpha snorted, his jovial laugh making Loki’s heart skip a beat. “Well I’m happy to hear that he doesn’t want me to die.”

“He’ll warm up to you soon enough…” Murmured Loki, always feeling bad about Sleipnir’s distrust of Thor. “He… we’ve just been through a lot, Thor.”

The alpha hummed softly, trying his best to stay awake. “Have you considered joining the mob?”

Sighing, Loki relaxed back onto his bed, a part of him not wanting to hang up and let Thor sleep. “I’ve honestly been heavily considering it. I want to wait till the end of this three month period before giving you my final decision. Is… is that alright?”

“Yes,” Murmured Thor, his voice continuing to make Loki’s heart race. “I don’t want you to join if you are uncomfortable with a commitment like that.”

“Oh, um… I told Hogun that I was in the mob. He was asking a lot of questions, and I didn’t want to risk you getting in trouble for helping me.”

“Norns…”

“He said that he would help me learn how to use computers and teach me how to hack, so I-I panicked when he asked me how long I’d been in the mob.” Rushed Loki, feeling bad for making things worse for Thor. “I really wanted to learn how to do what he did… I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Replied Thor, clearing his throat again. “We’ll discuss this more when I come over next week.”

Loki hummed softly and rolled onto his stomach, feeling like some idiotic teen that was talking to their crush. “I signed Sleipnir and me up for self-defense classes that start tomorrow at 6. Are you able to arrange to have someone come and get us?” He realized how this sounded and quickly explained himself, not wanting Thor to think that he was demanding things from him. “You just told me to tell you when I signed us up, so I-”

“It’s alright, Loki.” Murmured Thor, his tone gentle. “I’ll stop by tomorrow and take you both.”

“Thor-”

“I’m fine,” Assured Thor, not wanting Loki to worry. “The last round of medication is for tomorrow morning. I’ll be fine.”

Loki wasn’t convinced but dropped the issue, not wanting to keep Thor up any longer. “Well alright… I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Loki.”

After ending the call, Loki couldn’t stop smiling, and he turned over onto his back, wrapping himself in the blankets of the bed. He knew it was silly, but… he  _ might _ have a small crush on Thor.

Just a small one.

He knew though that nothing would come of it, as they were seemingly worlds apart. 

And as much as he hoped that he would one day find true love, he wasn’t naive; he just couldn’t let his heart get broken again.

**༺♥༻**

To say Sleipnir was excited about his self-defense class was an understatement. The boy had been prattling on about it all day, and kept kicking pillows or the cushions of the couch, pretending that they were “evil alphas”. 

Loki didn’t have it in him to try and get Sleipnir to be quiet and calm down and just dealt with it throughout the day. Luckily around 5, there was a loud knock at his door, so he stood from the couch, not surprised when Sleipnir charged ahead to open the door first.

The young boy glared and huffed when he saw that it was Thor, putting out a protective arm over Loki. “You can’t come in! Only me and Mommy can come in here!”

“Sleipnir, stop,” Chastised Loki, ushering him out of the apartment and locking the door behind him. He shot an apologetic look Thor’s way next, taking Sleipnir’s hand. “Sorry… he’s just really excited about the self-defense classes.”

Thor wasn’t offended at all and led Loki and Sleipnir downstairs and out to his car, getting in. “It’s alright, Loki. I understand why he doesn’t trust me.”

Sleipnir kicked the back of Thor’s chair then extra hard, catching the attention of the pair. “I’m gonna learn how to beat you up, Mr. Thor!”

“Sleipnir!” Hissed Loki, turning around in his seat to glare at his son. “Not another word out of you until we get there! Now apologize to Mr. Thor!” His patience was admittedly gone by this point, as Sleipnir had been abnormally hyper all day.

The little boy pouted, crossing his arms and turning away from Loki to stare out of the window. “... Sorry, Mr. Thor…”

Thor felt bad for the small alpha but didn’t want to intrude on Loki’s parenting. He could only imagine how exhausting it would be to take care of an energized alpha day in and day out without a break, at the age of 21. “Was Hogun nice when he came over?”

“Yeah, he was really nice, actually.” Answered Loki, settling back into his seat. “He asked a lot of questions, but… he taught me a lot about his job in the mob, and I was really interested. He said he’ll come over on my days off to help me learn.”

This was surprising to Thor, as Hogun mostly kept to himself, and was quite shy. “Really?”

“Yeah… I’m actually quite excited. The things he showed me were really interesting, and I’m looking forward to learning.” Loki looked over at Thor then, worried about his injury. “Thank you for taking us to the self-defense classes even though you’re still recovering. How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Confessed Thor, glancing over at Loki for a moment. “I’ve had worse things happen to me. I should be mostly recovered by next week.”

The pair spoke casually on the way to the self-defense class, and once they arrived Thor was surprised to see that Loki had chosen a small and intimate tae kwon do dojo. “What made you choose this place?”

“They were offering their first three classes for free to omegas and children under the age of 18.” Answered Loki, unstrapping himself and opening the door. “I didn’t want to pay for something if I didn’t know if Sleipnir or myself would like it.”

The little boy seemed to be pumped now that they were here, and eagerly unbuckled his seatbelt, opening the door and jumping out of the car before Loki could get to him. “I’m gonna beat up alphas!”

Thor inhaled sharply and quickly reached out when Sleipnir darted past him to run into the street, grabbing him around his small torso and laughing nervously. “ _ Whoa _ , Sleipnir! You’ve got to be careful.” He set the young boy down on the sidewalk, looking over at Loki. The omega seemed  _ pissed _ , and he stepped aside as Loki crouched down in front of his son, firm hands on his shoulders.

“Sleipnir.”

The young boy seemed to know he was in a lot of trouble, and he looked away, biting a lower lip nervously. “I-I’m sorry, Mommy…”

“What did Mommy say about running into the middle of the street?”

“That it’s dangerous, and I need to always stay on the sidewalk…”

“That’s right,” Huffed Loki, setting his son with another chastising look. “What if a car had been coming? You have to be  _ careful _ , sweetheart. Mommy wouldn’t be able to go on if something happened to you.”

Sleipnir seemed to be extremely remorseful, and wrapped his arms around Loki for a hug, nestling his face into the crook of Loki’s neck. “I’m sorry Mama…”

Loki wrapped his arms around Sleipnir as well and kissed his crown, inhaling his gentle scent. “Just remember to be careful, sweetheart.”

The pair pulled back a bit to shower each other cheeks with reassuring kisses, and hugged again, each of them relieved that there were no hard feelings between them.

Seeing this scene pulled at Thor’s heartstrings, and it also made him a bit sad, as he thought he would’ve been married with a few kids by now. He brushed that thought from his mind though, not wanting to get depressed. 

His home and his life were lonely enough as it was.

“Are you okay?”

Loki’s voice brought Thor from his reflective mood, and he hummed, following the omega and his son inside the small gym. “I’m fine. Just lost in thought.”

Loki didn’t push the issue and thanked Thor for holding the door open for him, relieved to see that there were at least a dozen omegas and their children here. Most of the children were around Sleipnir’s age, so Loki was quite excited for his son, hoping that he would be able to make some friends. 

He was never really allowed to play with his brothers or sisters when they lived with Svadilfari, and because they were only allowed to leave the mansion once a month, that made it even harder to maintain any friendships that could’ve been made when he took Sleipnir to the park.

A middle-aged omega woman made her way over to them then, a welcoming smile on her face. “Hello! My name is Seo Yoon; what are your names?”

Loki reached out to shake her hand politely, smiling at the woman as well. “I’m Loki, and this is my son Sleipnir.” He reached down then, gently urging the boy to say hi. “Say hello, Sleipnir.”

Sleipnir blushed, a bashful smile on his face. “Hi…”

Seo Yoon laughed, ruffling Sleipnir’s hair. “I have a little boy that’s your age; he’s an omega. Why don’t you come say hi?”

Sleipnir looked back at Loki for permission, and Loki didn’t hesitate, nodding at his son and encouraging him to make some friends. 

Seo Yoon looked up at Loki next, gesturing out to the open room. “Feel free to set your things down anywhere; we’ll get started in a few minutes. The children will be learning in a separate room in the back if that’s okay?”

“Yes, yes that’s fine,” Assured Loki, bending over to kiss Sleipnir’s forehead. “Go have lots of fun, and make some new friends, okay?”

Sleipnir nodded, kissing Loki back before following Seo Yoon, so once they were gone Loki turned to Thor, knowing that the alpha was in  _ no _ condition to work out today. There were some seats lined against a wall, so Loki pointed at those, thankful that Thor was so willing to help them. “If you’re staying, would you be willing to sit down and watch the class? I-I know it’s a lot to ask, so if you just want to leave and head home, I can call a taxi and take that back to the apartment.”

Thor shook his head no, placing a calming hand on Loki’s hip. “I’ll stay. I’ve been at home for the past week, so I need to get out. Maybe we can all go to dinner after?”

The  _ fiercest  _ blush spread across Loki’s face when Thor’s hand rested on his hip, and he couldn’t help but smile, a dreamy look on his face. “That sounds lovely.” The smile that Thor shot him caused his heart to skip a beat, and it took a few seconds for him to shake himself out of this haze, forcing himself to come back to reality. He  _ couldn’t _ fall for someone and be betrayed again, and he couldn’t do anything to put Sleipnir at risk.

He knew it was hard but… he couldn’t fall in love.

Luckily, the instructor for the adult class was calling for everyone to get ready, so Loki said goodbye to Thor, rushing away before the alpha could respond.

Thor could only laugh to himself, sitting down and watching the class begin. He could definitely admit that he was enamored with the omega, and while he’d been attracted to him from the start, once he learned tidbits about Loki’s past, he’d pumped the brakes on his pursuant of him and accepted that they would just be friends. And while he was okay with that - he would never coerce Loki into something of a romantic or sexual nature - sometimes the man would shoot him a smile that could stop the whole world, and… you didn’t run into people like that too often. 

Settling himself into a chair, Thor watched the instructor of the class walk the omegas through basic self-defense, quite pleased with the moves. The class was about an hour and a half, and once it was 7:30 the class ended, with Loki making his way over to him, absolutely  _ drenched _ in sweat.

“Norns!” Gasped Loki, reaching for his bottle of water. “I haven’t moved like that since gym in highschool!” He unscrewed the bottle cap and drained his water bottle, taking in another deep breath. “They kicked my  _ ass _ with that class.”

Laughing, Thor stood up, handing Loki another bottle of water. “Did you learn things that you feel would help you better protect yourself?”

Loki nodded, gratefully accepting the second bottle of water. “I feel like if someone approached me and attempted to hurt me, I could at least hurt them enough to get myself and Sleipnir away.”

“That’s good,” Sighed Thor, running a tired hand through his hair. “I hope Sleipnir enjoyed his class too.”

The door to the training room holding the children opened then, and all of the children rushed out, running to their mothers to prattle on excitedly about what they learned.

Sleipnir ran over hand in hand with his newfound friend, skirting to a stop in front of Loki. “Mommy! I made a friend! And I’m gonna marry him when we're grown up and protect him from mean alphas!”

The happiness that swelled from Loki’s heart then was unfounded, and he almost wanted to cry, as Sleipnir had never had a friend before. Grinning proudly, Loki crouched down, ruffling his son’s hair before turning his attention on Sleipnir’s new friend. “What’s your name?”

The little omega boy smiled shyly, introducing himself. “I’m Joo Won… I’m five!”

Loki shook the small omega’s hand politely. “It’s nice to meet you, Joo Won!”

Seo Yoon, the children’s female instructor from earlier, approached them then, an amused smile on her face. “I see you’ve met my son.”

Sleipnir turned to Seo Yoon, grinning up at her proudly. “Joo Won said he’s gonna marry me when we get older, and I’m gonna protect him from mean alphas!”

Seo Yoon and Loki shared an amused look before looking back at their children, soft smiles on their faces. “Joo Won, would you like to ask your new friend and his family to dinner?”

Joo Won nodded shyly, looking up at Sleipnir bashfully. “W-Would you like to eat dinner with us?”

Now it was Sleipnir’s turn to look up at Loki, and seeing his son’s eyes shine with hope caused the biggest grin to spread across Loki’s face, and he nodded, ruffling his son’s hair and kissing his cheek. “Of course.” He turned to Thor then, not wanting the alpha to feel forced to do this. “I can take a taxi home, Thor, I don’t want you to feel forced to join us.”

It had been quite some time since Thor had a family meal, and he shook his head, not wanting Loki to worry. “I’ll join you all if that’s alright.”

“Of course! We live upstairs above the gym; let me just get my husband and make sure it’s okay with him.” She reached out to take Joo Won's hand, but the little boy shook his head, not wanting to leave. “I wanna stay with Sleipnir!”

Seo Yoon laughed gently, obviously happy that her son made a new friend. “Alright. Give me a few minutes, we need to send everyone off before heading upstairs.”

“There’s no rush,” Assured Loki, not wanting her to worry. “Please, take your time.”

The woman nodded and thanked him before rushing off, so Loki turned his attention back to Sleipnir, caressing his cheek gently. “Did you enjoy your class, sweetheart?”

“Yeah!” Shouted the young boy, letting go of Joo Won’s hand so that he could demonstrate what he learned. “I learned this move,” He grabbed at an imaginary arm and twisted around, doing a complicated maneuver that only a child had the energy to carry out. “And then I learned how to hurt an alpha that’s trying to hurt me or you, Mommy! Look!”

Before Loki could stop him, Sleipnir ran over to Thor and stomped on his foot as hard as he could, before punching at Thor’s groin.

Thor groaned loudly and doubled over, clutching at himself. “ _ Norns…” _

Loki was  _ horrified _ by the display and reached out to steady Thor, worried for the alpha. “Shit, Thor! A-Are you alright?!” He turned on Sleipnir then, narrowing his eyes at the boy. “Sleipnir! That was not nice! Apologize!”

“But I was just protecting you, Mommy!” Insisted the boy, not an ounce of guilt on his face.

Seo Yoon was making her way over to him then with her husband, so Loki sighed, shaking his head. “We will talk about this later, Sleipnir.” Thor was standing up then, so Loki helped him stand fully, feeling terrible about what just happened. “Norns, Thor, I’m so sorry. I-I-”

“It’s alright,” Grunted Thor, grimacing from the strain on the wound in his side. He finally took notice of Seo Yoon’s husband, shocked to see that he was one of his members. “Joo Weon? I didn’t know your family-owned this gym.”

Joo Weon grinned, happy to see Thor as well. “What brings you here? I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“My friend needed a ride, and I offered to take him and his son,” Answered Thor. “Norns, I’m so relieved you own this place.”

Joo Weon nodded, placing a comforting arm around his wife. “It belongs to my parents. My mother is upstairs cooking dinner for everyone; please, join us.”

Knowing that this gym was mob affiliated honestly filled Thor with the greatest sense of relief, as he knew that Loki would be protected here; especially if the omega joined his mob. The Asgardian mob was a tight-knit community, and once you joined you were a part of a family that would protect you at all costs, and ensure your safety.

The trio followed the family upstairs to their home above the gym, sitting down at their dining room table. It had been a  _ long _ time since Thor had a home-cooked meal, and it made him happy to be here, this family dinner a nice change of pace from the fierceness of his life as of late. It was… admittedly lonely when he was at home in his penthouse, and being around Loki and Sleipnir gave him some sense of vitality and normalcy that he very much craved. 

This dinner with Sleipnir’s new friend was absolutely delightful, and by the end of it, Thor was happy that he offered to take Loki to his self-defense class instead of just asking one of his men to do it.

It was about 9 at night when they left Sleipnir’s new friend’s house, and by then the little boy was knocked out in the backseat, exhausted from the day. Loki was pretty tired too, so once they arrived at Loki’s apartment, Thor offered to carry Sleipnir upstairs. 

Loki knew that his son would throw a  _ fit _ if he woke up and smelled Thor’s scent on his clothes, so he politely declined, picking up his son and heading up to his apartment. Once Sleipnir was changed into nightclothes and tucked into bed, Loki returned to his living room, where Thor had been patiently waiting. “Norns, I know you’re tired. You didn’t have to wait for me.”

Thor shook his head, not wanting Loki to worry. “I’m fine. I return to work tomorrow, so you won’t see me for at least another two weeks.”

Loki couldn’t deny that this made him sad, as he’d grown accustomed to Thor always dropping in once a week to check on him and make sure he was doing okay. “Norns… okay. Well… um… I… I guess I can text you? If you’re not too busy?”

The alpha smiled softly, touched that Loki wanted to text him. They were really getting close, and Thor could honestly appreciate the change of pace that being friends with Loki offered. “Sure. That’d be nice.”

Now it was Loki’s turn to smile, and he nodded, the most wondrous look in his eyes. “Before you go, I was hoping that you could help me with a move that I learned today.”

“Of course, what is it?”

“Try and grab me,” Explained Loki. He waited for Thor to grab him, and used his elbow to jab in the center of Thor’s arm, motioning to punch him in his Adam's apple. “I feel like this is unrealistic. If someone is grabbing me, they won’t always grab me from the front. They’ll most likely try to grab me from behind. I want to learn how to defend myself if that happens.”

Thor hummed, taking a step back from Loki and turning around. “I’ll show you. Here, try to grab me.”

Loki reached out, grabbing Thor’s shoulder. Immediately Thor twirled around, grabbing Loki by his wrist and turning his arm slowly, demonstrating what he would do. “After you twist their wrist you can either punch them in their Adam’s apple like you did earlier, or you can do  _ this _ ,” He pulled Loki flush across him then, only a hair’s breadth away from each other. “And then you would step on his toes, and bend your head, snapping it up and under the attacker’s chin.”

Loki didn’t hear a single thing Thor said, too awestruck by how handsome and suave the alpha was. It seemed that Thor noticed the look Loki was shooting him, and stared into the omega’s sage eyes, the omega’s beauty causing his words to just fly out of his mind.

He knew that it was dangerous for them to experience this moment, so he tried to pull away, shocked completely when Loki pulled him closer and stretched up, placing a soft kiss against his lips.

This was the  _ last _ thing Thor expected him to do, and he shot the omega a bewildered expression, not sure about what to say.

Loki seemed to realize then that he  _ probably _ shouldn’t have done that, and he looked down, his heart pounding in nervous anticipation. “I-I’m sorry, I-I-”

Thor shook his head quickly, reaching out to caress Loki’s cheek. The omega nestled into his touch, and Thor was honestly surprised that Loki felt comfortable enough with him to do this. “I’m not mad…”

The pair stared at each other before Thor found himself looking down at Loki’s lips, and he decided to just go for it, slanting his lips against Loki’s again, cradling the omega’s face in his hands. Their kiss wasn’t hurried, it wasn’t deep, or passionate, it was… tender almost, and when he pulled away, the look that Loki shot him was a look that could even make the knees of the proudest alpha go weak.

Loki had never really consensually kissed someone before, and kissing Thor filled him with something that left him feeling warm and fuzzy inside. His heart was pounding with excitement, and before he could rationalize everything he grabbed Thor’s shirt, kissing him again.

Thor tentatively placing his hands on his waist and drawing him closer only made Loki feel more certain about whatever was happening right now, and when Thor expertly deepened their kiss Loki felt-lightheaded, as he’d never been kissed like this before.

He wasn’t sure about what would happen, but he knew that at this moment, he wanted this.

And as long as Thor kept kissing him, he wouldn’t have to think about what was next.

**༺♥༻**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> It's been brought to my attention that there's some discontent with how Sleipnir is acting, and Loki's response to it. I personally thought Loki was doing fine, but I can understand now how this isn't the case. 
> 
> I want to explain something. I am 22. I don't have children. No one in my life that I am close to has children. I am not around children throughout any part of my day. I try my best to depict things in my stories to the best of my ability even though I've never personally experienced it (marriage, pregnancy, long term healthy relationship, abuse from a partner, etc.) and sometimes, I don't do a good job. In those cases, just let me know, and comment examples of how things should be, or how I could write it moving forward. I can only glean so much information from the internet. I've only been able to grow as a writer because of people commenting and helping me this way.
> 
> I'm sorry if anyone feels like I'm not portraying things accurately and I always try my best to do so. 
> 
> Again, if you feel like somthing is being portrayed wrong, then let me know. Kindly give me examples of how i can improve and do somthing better. I'm literally only 22 and have like... Zero life experience when it comes to adult life and adult subjects.


	7. Coming Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> It's been brought to my attention that there's some discontent with how Sleipnir is acting, and Loki's response to it. I personally thought Loki was doing fine, but I can understand now how some of you feel differently.
> 
> I want to explain something. I am 22. I don't have children. No one in my life that I am close to has children. I am not around children throughout any part of my day. I try my best to depict things in my stories to the best of my ability even though I've never personally experienced it (marriage, pregnancy, long term healthy relationship, abuse from a partner, etc.) and sometimes, I don't do a good job. In those cases, just let me know, and comment examples of how things should be, or how I could write it moving forward. I can only glean so much information from the internet. I've only been able to grow as a writer because of people commenting and helping me this way.
> 
> I'm sorry if anyone feels like I'm not portraying things accurately and I always try my best to do so.
> 
> Again, if you feel like something is being portrayed wrong, then let me know. Kindly give me examples of how I can improve and do something better. I'm literally only 22 and have like... Zero life experience when it comes to adult life and adult subjects.
> 
> I'm trying my best. 
> 
> These are complex issues that we're writing about in this story, and many things need to be kept in mind while reading it. Loki is 21. He has no family. He has no one to show him how to be a parent, and he's literally figuring things out as he goes. He and his son have been abused for the past five years. He was beaten or raped almost every day, and did what he could to protect his son and to keep him safe. Him and Sleipnir obviously need YEARS of therapy to overcome the actions and traits and behaviors that they learned or picked up just to survive. I understand that their actions might be confusing sometimes, but... they have been through a lot, and are both trying their best to cope. I've never been abused in the way that they have, so I can't write from personal experience. I can only research, read personal accounts, and try my best to write something that has realistic character behavior, and realistic growth and development.
> 
> If for any reason anyone feels that something could be explained better, or isn't very realistic, just politely let me know. I can't get better or improve if I'm only told that I'm doing something wrong, without any examples or guidance of how to do it right. Writing fanfiction is honestly something that makes me really happy, and it makes me even happier to share it with all of you. Sorry for the long author babble, but I just wanted to clarify some things for everyone, before getting on with the story.
> 
> -Nyna

**༺♥༻**

The second Thor slipped his tongue into his mouth, Loki knew he was in heaven.

Thor’s tongue sliding against his felt so warm and so inviting, and Loki tried his best to keep up, as he didn’t really know what he was doing. The alpha was patient with him though and reached out, hands moving to rest at the small of Loki’s back.

Feeling himself stir, Loki let out a soft sound, in complete disbelief that kissing someone could feel so good. He’d always thought that people getting drunk off of each other’s kisses was just an exaggeration, but he realized now that it was  _ very _ real, and was currently happening to him.

Thor pulling away from him felt like a bucket of water had just been dumped on Loki’s head, and he blinked slowly in confusion, not understanding why Thor stopped kissing him. He wasn’t exactly sure about what he should say and he searched Thor’s gaze nervously, waiting for the alpha to speak.

The strength that it took for Thor to stop and not progress this further was  _ inhumane _ , and he laughed softly, placing a gentle kiss against Loki’s forehead. “You’ve been through a lot, Loki and… I want to respect that. You’re too good of a person to just be a one night stand.”

Loki closed his eyes when Thor kissed him again, touched that the alpha felt this way. “Then… what happens now? We just pretend that this never happened?”

This was something Thor didn’t want, and he shook his head quickly, thumb rubbing against Loki’s bottom lip. “No.” Loki was staring at him so expectantly, and the last thing Thor wanted to do was make the omega feel uncertain. “Let me do things right with you, Loki.”

Loki’s face heated up, and he shot Thor a bashful grin, his heart beating from anticipation. “Really? I-I mean I-I don’t know much… I’ve never dated anyone or been in a consensual relationship. I-I don’t know what to do.”

Thor knew that saying this to Loki was risky, but he at least wanted to truly give the omega a chance. He didn’t want to progress things too far or do too much right in the beginning, as Loki had been through too much. He deserved to experience what it was like to truly have someone take things slow, and lavish him with care. “We’ll take things day by day, and work on getting to know each other. And somewhere along the line, we’ll make a decision about what to do next.”

This was something Loki could work with, and he nodded, unable to keep a smile off of his face. “Okay… I can do this.”

The pair smiled at each other sweetly before Thor leaned in, placing another soft kiss against Loki’s lips. “I should probably go. I’ll call you tomorrow night, but after that you won’t hear from me for two weeks. If anything happens, or if you need me, please don’t hesitate to text or call. I’ll have one of my men check on you. Hogun will be over once or twice a week, so I’m certain if you need something, he can help you.”

It made Loki sad that they wouldn’t see each other for two weeks, but he understood that Thor’s job was 24/7. That’s just how the mob was, and it would always be this way. He walked Thor over to his front door, that same bashful smile still on his face. “Well… I’ll see you at the end of the month. Be safe, please.”

Thor nodded, reaching out to stroke Loki’s cheek with his thumb. “I will.” He leaned down and placed a lingering kiss against Loki’s lips again, savoring the softness and the warmth of him before pulling away. “Goodnight.”

Loki laughed softly, waving goodbye and shutting the door. He just couldn’t wipe that bashful grin off of his face, and he walked to the kitchen of the apartment, grabbing a bottle of cheap grocery store wine and pouring himself a glass. He  _ couldn’t _ believe that he kissed Thor, couldn’t believe that the alpha kissed him  _ back _ , and he laughed again, amazed that he was feeling like this.

Thor returning his kiss and saying that he wanted to take things slow and do things right meant that Loki’s small crush wasn’t in vain. The alpha actually liked him, actually  _ saw _ something in him, and this meant so much to the omega.

He didn’t want to rush things and say he was in love and finally found his happily ever after, but it was nice to actually feel wanted because of who you were as a person. He was so used to just being used for his body or because of his “pretty” face, and knowing that there was someone that actually wanted to get to know him, someone that wanted to get to know who he  _ truly _ was and be discovered in return was so exciting, so  _ exhilarating _ , and Loki laughed again, sipping at his wine.

Even if things didn’t work out with Thor, Loki wouldn’t be upset. Just knowing that he was good enough for someone like Thor comforted him more than anything had in a long time, and he sipped at his wine once more, the dark red liquid beginning to relax him.

As he mulled over his day and all the amazing things that happened, Loki couldn’t help but pinpoint something that happened earlier that he didn't really understand.

When Thor kissed him earlier, it felt…  _ nice _ . It felt spectacular, it felt amazing, it felt so good that it made him feel as if he was inebriated, and… and that had never happened before.

And it was scary to know that it was happening now.

Loki wasn’t naive enough to not understand sex and bodily functions and that it was supposed to feel good. He understood everything about the mechanical aspects of sex, and yet… never in his life had he ever felt as he did from that kiss with Thor.

Every kiss that had been forced upon his lips, every repulsive touch that had been pressed against his skin, and every sickening appendage that had been forced into him never once made him feel any form of pleasure. And for the longest time, he believed that he was incapable of enjoying sex; he didn’t think that omegas actually enjoyed it.

Never once did he ever climax from a person’s touch, never once did he gasp from pleasure, never once did he ever lose himself in the passion or heat of the moment, and… and he wondered then if he ever would. This world of sexual enjoyment and gratification seemed unattainable,  _ impossible  _ even, and as he downed the last of his wine he wondered if that would ever change.

A large part of him hoped so, and… and a larger part of himself was terrified to open himself up again and let someone in.

He just couldn’t lose himself again.

**༺♥༻**

Sleipnir would be going to school in a month, so for now Loki had to do his best to keep his son entertained. His son woke up at the crack of dawn every  _ day _ it seemed, and at 7 am on a Thursday Loki was awake in bed, a noisy and defiant child jumping on him and the mattress, demanding that he woke up.

Loki loved his son to pieces, but… sometimes, the little alpha was too much. He groaned and sat up slowly as Sleipnir continued to bounce, still trying to wake up. “Sleipnir… give Mommy a moment to wake up.”

The young boy hummed, bouncing for a final time before jumping off of the bed, beginning to demonstrate his self-defense moves that he learned last night. “Look, Mommy! The next time a mean alpha comes over, I’m gonna do this to them!”

Loki reached out before Sleipnir could do whatever complicated maneuver he was trying to do, a calm but stern hand on his shoulder. “Sleipnir… Mommy still needs to talk to you about last night. You’re still in a lot of trouble for hurting Mr. Thor.”

“But he’s an evil alpha!” Insisted Sleipnir, stomping his foot. “He’s gonna hurt you!”

Taking in a deep breath, Loki exhaled softly, trying to be a calm and rational adult this early in the morning. “Come, sit down, Sleipnir.”

The young boy pouted, stomping over to Loki and climbing onto the bed.

“Sleipnir, you cannot continue to be mean to Mr. Thor. He has done too much for Mommy and for you.”

“But-”

“No buts. Every time you are mean to Mr. Thor when he isn’t mean to you or Mommy, you’ll get in trouble. Because of what you did last night, you’re not allowed to play the switch for three days.” Stated Loki, shooting his son a stern look. “Do you understand me?”

Sleipnir’s face fell, and he teared up, beginning to cry. “That’s not fair!”

“Do you think it was fair to Mr. Thor when you hit him? Because it made him really sad. You’re a good alpha that protects others. You don’t hurt them.”

Sleipnir continued to cry, obviously frustrated with the situation. And although it tore at Loki’s very  _ soul _ to see his son this upset, he knew that this was for the best. The last thing he wanted was for Sleipnir to think it was okay to hurt others just because he was hurting inside. “ _ And _ , you need to write an apology letter and draw a picture for Mr. Thor, telling him that you’re sorry.”

“But I don’t want to!” Wailed the boy, flinging himself back onto Loki’s bed dramatically and beginning to sob. “That’s not fair! I don’t wanna! I don’t wanna say sorry!”

“Then you won’t be allowed to play your games until you apologize. And I mean this. You cannot continue to be mean to Mr. Thor if he isn’t being mean to you or me.”

This made Sleipnir  _ lose _ it, and the little boy had a complete meltdown, throwing the  _ biggest _ tantrum that he had ever thrown in his life.

Exhaling slowly, Loki took in a measured breath, trying to determine what he wanted to do. He knew that his son would calm down eventually, and his nerves were currently shot, so he decided that removing himself from the situation, while also giving Sleipnir some space, would be the best decision.

Loki stood from his bed and swiftly left the room, almost amused when Sleipnir’s wailing lessened as the child looked at him walk away in confusion. He needed to make breakfast for them, so he pulled out some eggs, bell peppers, sausage, a whisk, and a bowl, wanting to make some omelets.

It took five seconds before Sleipnir came out of Loki’s bedroom and made his way to the kitchen, his tantrum picking up again full force. Loki continued to make breakfast though and let Sleipnir cry, knowing that sooner or later his son would realize that throwing a tantrum wouldn’t work.

Once Loki finished breakfast he set their plates down before sitting down himself and eating, scrolling through the news app on his phone.

Sleipnir’s wailing was now small sniffles, and the young boy whimpered when he finally realized that throwing a tantrum wouldn’t change Loki’s mind. He climbed into his chair and sat down, shooting Loki a pitiful look. “I don’t wanna say sorry to Mr. Thor!”

“You have to apologize to people that you’re mean to, Sleipnir.” Explained Loki, looking at his child gently. “Remember how sad you would feel when Daddy hurt you?”

The young boy nodded glumly, looking down at his plate.

“Well that’s how you make Mr. Thor feel when you’re mean to him. And that’s not something that a nice alpha does to others, right?”

Sleipnir nodded again, wiping at his eyes. “I don’t wanna be a bad alpha like Daddy…”

“Then you have to be nice to people, Sleipnir. If someone isn’t nice to you, then you have every right to be mean. But if someone is kind to you, you need to be kind to them.” Illustrated Loki, relieved that his son had finally calmed down. “Do you understand this?”

Nodding, the young boy jumped out of his chair and padded over to Loki, looking up at him with unshed tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Mama…”

Loki tutted, scooting back and picking up his son. “It’s alright, sweetheart. When you’re feeling upset or scared, you have to use your words so that Mommy can help you. Okay?”

Sleipnir nodded again and nestled his face against the scent gland on Loki’s neck, his hands fisted tightly into Loki’s shirt. 

The young boy never liked disappointing Loki, so Loki  _ hoped _ that from now on Sleipnir would at least be nice to Thor; even if it was begrudgingly. He kissed his son’s temple a few times and relaxed, knowing that Sleipnir just wanted to be reassured that everything was okay between them.

It only took a few minutes before Sleipnir was content, and he stretched up, kissing Loki softly. “I’m sorry, Mama… I’ll say sorry to Mr. Thor…”

Loki returned his son’s kiss, pecking his  _ adorable  _ cheeks a few times in rapid succession to make his son giggle. “Thank you, sweetheart. Now let’s finish breakfast.”

The little boy hummed softly and jumped down from Loki’s lap, climbing back into his seat and eating his breakfast.

Loki was  _ so _ relieved that this disaster had been avoided, and hoped that he and Sleipnir would be able to have a peaceful rest of the day. 

Sleipnir tried to turn on the charms and beg for his gaming system back, but Loki was firm in his decision to not let Sleipnir play it for 3 days, as he knew that if he let up, the young boy would never learn.

Around 5 pm Sleipnir decided that he would finally write Thor an apology letter and draw him an apology picture, and sat down on the couch next to Loki, trying his best. He hadn’t been to preschool and was entering kindergarten next month, so while Loki did his best to teach Sleipnir how to read and write, he wasn’t a teacher.

Nevertheless, the young boy managed to scribble out, “ _ I’m sorry for punching you and making Mommy sad,” _ and drew a picture at the bottom of him with tears in his eyes, the picture having a speech bubble that said, “I’m sorry”.

  
  


Loki thought that this was good enough and praised Sleipnir for working on being a “good” alpha, taking a picture of the boy and his drawing, and sending it to Thor. The alpha responded almost immediately, amused yet touched that Sleipnir apologized.

When it was 7:30 Loki helped Sleipnir get ready for bed and tucked him in, kissing him goodnight. He knew that Thor wouldn’t call for a few more hours, so he headed back into his living room, sitting on the couch and watching some mindless TV.

Because of Sleipnir it was hard to ever watch adult TV shows, so Loki really enjoyed discovering new shows that piqued his interest. He’d never really just sat down and watched a show that he actually liked, and treated himself to a brownie and some milk tonight, enjoying the peace and quiet.

Around 11 at night Thor called him and Loki’s face immediately lit up, unable to fight back a grin. “Hello?”

“Hey. Did I wake you up?”

“No, I was about to head back to bed actually,” Answered Loki, turning off the TV and walking back towards his bedroom. “How was your day?”

“Long,” Sighed Thor. “Things are getting quite stressful in the mob.”

Loki knew he couldn’t ask about it - especially since he was a nonmember - so he hummed, climbing under the blankets of his bed. “Is that while you’ll be gone for so long?”

“Unfortunately. I have to travel out of state and around the region of influence the Asgardian mob has, to handle a few things.”

“Well I hope that everything turns out okay. I don’t know what I’d do if you got shot again.”

Thor snorted softly, and Loki could almost imagine the gentle smile on his face. “I don’t plan on getting shot again.”

“Well I would hope so,” Laughed Loki, settling into bed. “Hey… I have a question…”

“I’m listening.”

“Are you sure you want to pursue something with me?”

He heard shuffling from Thor’s end before the alpha sighed. “What makes you think I don’t?”

Now Loki’s heart was racing, and he felt more worried than he had in some time, rushing to explain. “I-I’m not saying that I don’t want to try. I-I just, I don’t know what I’m doing, I-”

“Loki,” Murmured Thor, gently interrupting him. “I know this. And I think it will be a good thing for both of us to take things slow.”

“...Really?”

“Yes,” Answered Thor, not wanting Loki to worry. “You’ve been through a lot; more than any one person should in this life. I would never be able to forgive myself if I rushed things and ended up hurting you or scaring you before you were ready to do certain things.” He sighed then, getting more comfortable. “It’ll be good for me too. I haven’t really done this since…”

“Since your ex-fiancee?” Guessed Loki, placing as much gentleness and care into his voice as he could. 

“How do you know about that?”

“Hogun told me,” Admitted Loki. “I wanted to know if you were married and had children because you spent so much time with me. I would’ve felt guilty if I was taking you away from your family.”

Thor was silent for a few seconds before deciding to just be honest, and tell Loki. He’d meant it when he said that he truly wanted them to get to know each other, and… and it was time for him to get over himself, and just try to trust someone again. 

If Loki could work on learning to trust him after everything he’d been through, then Thor could learn how to do the same. “When I was growing up, one of my father’s captains had a daughter that was around my age. And she quickly became my best friend. We were inseparable, and when we got older, we began to date.”

He sighed deeply then, the memory of those times so painful to recall. “We were together from the age of 14 to the age of 25, and didn’t break up once. I proposed when I graduated from university, and she said yes. Our wedding was scheduled for a year out, on our anniversary. I knew something was wrong two years before I proposed, though; she would leave in the middle of the night, she would start arguments, she was jittery… soon various items in our apartment would go missing… then thousands would start leaving our bank account almost every day it seemed.”

“A year after this behavior started, I learned that she was on drugs. And I tried my best to help her get clean. We went to therapy, she went to rehab, I erased all the contacts on her phone and blocked every drug dealer’s number. And for a while, things were good. We learned that she was pregnant, and for a while we were happy. But… she started her habits again. And she started using. And my words didn’t matter.”

He took in a shaking breath to try and calm down before continuing his story. “She ended up losing our child because of her drug use. And that was the final straw for me. I left her, and I haven’t looked back. And… and I’ve been alone ever since.”

Loki’s heart hurt so much from learning this information, and he wiped at his eyes, surprised that he was tearing up over this. “Norns… Thor I’m so sorry. Norns…”

“I’ve made my peace with the situation,” Murmured Thor. “So when I say I want to take our time, and take things slow, I say this because I believe it will be good for both of us.”

Humming softly, Loki turned onto his stomach, resting his phone next to him on the pillow. “I have a lot of baggage, Thor. I’m a single 21-year-old mother that has no education, and no life skills. I never graduated high school, I don’t know how to drive, I’ve never dated anyone… I’ve literally been fucked so many times, that I lost count of everyone I’ve ever slept with after being a prostitute for three months. I honestly don’t know what I’m doing, or what you’re seeing in me.”

It admittedly hurt Thor to hear Loki talk about himself like this and he tutted, wanting to reassure the omega. “None of that bothers me, Loki. I am a man that is responsible for money laundering, extortion, arms trafficking, and a million and one other things that shouldn’t be done but are done anyway. I  _ literally _ kill people for a living. If you can overlook that, and still accept me for who I am, then please believe that I can and will do the same for you.”

It didn’t scare Loki in the slightest to hear these things, as he’d been entrenched in the mob for  _ years _ . Nothing about it phased him anymore. “Thank you.”

Thor hummed softly, wanting to help the omega understand that there wasn’t much that would turn him away. “Dating someone that isn’t mob affiliated is stressful because you run the risk of being reported or losing them if they discover what you do. I have nothing I have to hide when it comes to you, which already decreases the hurdles that we would’ve had, if you weren’t aware of the mob and its inner workings. So you have nothing to worry about; worst case scenario this doesn’t work, and we’ll return to being friends.”

Loki was okay with this, as he truly believed that if this didn’t work, they’d be able to still be friends. Conversation came so easy to them that night, and before he knew it, it was 1 am, and they’d been on the phone for  _ hours _ .

He knew that they both had busy days ahead of them, so he begrudgingly said goodbye to the alpha, his cheeks hurting from all of his smiling. He hadn’t been this happy because of someone besides Sleipnir in  _ years _ and it felt nice, knowing that someone honestly cared enough about him to just take their time, and work on building a foundation.

And as he fell asleep that night, he sent a silent prayer up to the Norns, asking that if nothing else, that everything would be okay.

**༺♥༻**

Loki didn’t really hear much from Thor for the next 3 weeks, and although he got a text every few days that let him know that he was okay, it was still nerve-wracking. Even Sleipnir was concerned about the alpha and started asking Loki if Thor died when he hadn’t seen him after the 2nd week. 

When it had been 3 and a half weeks since he’d seen Thor, he got a call from the alpha that let him know he was on his way over. And while he was excited to see Thor again, he also knew that the alpha was coming to see if he would be joining the mob, or if he would try and live life on his own, without the Asgardian mob’s protection.

And he believed that he finally felt comfortable with the decision that he knew he needed to make.

Sleipnir was currently playing with his gaming system on the couch when a loud knock sounded at the front door, and he frowned, raising up an eyebrow. “Mr. Hogun is coming over today?”

Loki shook his head, standing up and heading towards the door. “Mr. Thor is coming over.”

The young boy set aside his gaming system and jumped off the couch, running to the door before Loki and opening it. 

Thor wasn’t surprised that it was Sleipnir that opened the door, and he smiled down at the child, wondering how the young alpha would react. “Hello, Sleipnir.”

Sleipnir stared at Thor and frowned before looking away, stepping aside so that Loki could greet him. “... Hi, Mr. Thor.”

Loki was just glad that Sleipnir wasn’t trying to attack Thor or mouthing off at him, and ruffled his son’s hair before leaning forward to meet Thor for a kiss. “Hey.”

Humming softly, Thor returned Loki’s warm kiss, a smile spreading across his face when he pulled away and saw that Loki was grinning too. “Hey.”

“Mommy!” Gasped Sleipnir, his jaw practically on the floor. “Why did you kiss him?! I thought you said kisses were bad!”

Loki sighed softly, gesturing for Thor to come in and closing the door. “Mommy will explain. Come, sit down on the couch with Mommy and Mr. Thor.”

Sleipnir shot Thor a dirty look before following them over to the couch, climbing into Loki’s lap and glaring at Thor once the omega sat down.

Kissing his son’s temple, Loki ran a soothing hand down Sleipnir’s spine, knowing that the poor boy was confused. Sleipnir was only used to Loki being uncomfortable and sad when Svadilfari kissed him, and most likely didn’t understand why Loki was willingly kissing Thor.

“Sleipnir… when Mommy kissed Daddy, I was really sad, and it didn’t make me happy. Daddy was really mean, and… and hurt you and me. Mommy had to pretend to enjoy his kisses to keep us safe, right?” His son nodded, so Loki continued. “But when adults are happy, they kiss each other as long as both of them want to be kissed. Mr. Thor is nice, and Mommy likes him, so it makes me happy when we kiss.”

Sleipnir blinked in confusion. “But… kisses are bad.”

“Think about it like this. Mommy kisses you to make you feel happy, right? Well Mr. Thor and I kiss each other to make each other feel happy, too.” Explained Loki.

“So… you like kissing Mr. Thor?”

“Yes, sweetheart.”

“And… Mr. Thor likes kissing you?” Asked the young boy, shifting his eyes over to Thor warily.

“I do,” Answered Thor. “You have nothing to worry about Sleipnir.”

The little alpha still seemed unsure, but he nodded after a few seconds, warily giving in. “Okay… well… do I have to kiss Mr. Thor now too?”

Loki quickly shook his head, not wanting to confuse him. “No, sweetheart. Just Mommy.”

Sleipnir’s shoulders sagged in relief, and he collapsed dramatically against Loki, causing the omega to roll his eyes in amusement. “Thank the  _ Norns _ !”

This was something that Loki often said, and he laughed when his son parroted him, pinching at his side playfully. “Why don’t you go play your game, sweetheart? Catch a lot of pokemon and show me later, okay?”

“‘Kay!” Agreed Sleipnir, kissing Loki quickly before jumping off of his lap, grabbing his switch next and connecting it to the TV so that he could play it on the big screen.

Now that Sleipnir was distracted Loki scooted closer to Thor, smiling over at the alpha again. “I hope that you were able to take care of everything.”

“We were,” Sighed Thor, reaching out and taking Loki’s hand to intertwine their fingers. “How have you been?”

“I’ve been fine. Work is a bit hectic, but that’s nothing new. Sleipnir’s new friend Joo Won has been coming over to play almost every day, and I think I’m becoming friends with his mother, so I’m happy. And I’m happy that you’re here now too.” The omega blushed after he said this, his heart seemingly beating a million miles a minute.

Thor didn’t know what it was about Loki, but seeing Loki’s entire being radiating with joy was quickly becoming one of his guilty pleasures in this life. He couldn’t help  _ but _ return the omega’s smile, and rubbed at the back of Loki’s hand with his thumb, getting lost in his eyes.

Loki’s cell phone ringing snapped the pair out of this trance, and they both laughed, a bit embarrassed with themselves. Reaching over, Loki picked up his cell phone from the table, seeing that it was Joo Won’s mother and answering. “Hello?”

“Hi, Loki. Joo Won was wondering if Sleipnir could come over and spend the night. I can come over and pick him up if that’s okay?”

Loki couldn’t help but tear up at the question, and he cleared his throat, quickly giving her an answer. “O-Of course! Of course, Sleipnir would love that.” He wiped at his eyes quickly and turned to his son, calling out to the boy. “Sleipnir? Would you like to have a sleepover at Joo Won’s house?”

Sleipnir immediately jumped in the air to shout happily, video game forgotten. “Yeah! Can I bring my Barbie house?!”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Answered Loki, his heart swelling with overwhelming joy for his son. Never in his life had Sleipnir ever had a friend, and he’d  _ never _ been invited to someone’s house to spend the night. Knowing that his son was able to experience being a regular child for once in his life meant so much to him, and it just solidified his decision about whether or not he would join the mob. He turned his attention back to Seo Yoon then, giving her an answer. “Sleipnir says that he’ll bring his dollhouse and barbies.”

“Great! Joo Won loves them as well. I should be over to pick up Sleipnir in an hour. Is it okay if I stop and get the boys some ice cream and take them to the park?”

“Yes!” Answered Loki, a wondrous laugh leaving his lips. He realized then that he was a  _ bit _ too excited and cleared his throat, trying to calm down. “I-I mean yes, yes that’s fine. I’ll help Sleipnir pack up his things right now.”

“Sounds like a plan, then. I’ll see you both in an hour.”

Loki hung up and held the phone to his chest, closing his eyes and thanking the Norns that life was starting to finally lookup. 

Sleipnir seemed to feel the same, as he was currently bouncing on the couch, full of exuberant energy. “I’m gonna have a sleepover, Mommy!”

Standing up, Loki made his way over to his son, catching him when the excited boy jumped into his arms. “Mommy is very happy for you, sweetheart. Let’s go pack your overnight bag.” He kissed his son’s temple before turning to Thor, who had been staring at him in awe. “I’ll be right back, Thor.”

The alpha nodded, watching Loki walk away and shaking his head in utter amazement. He had nothing but infinite respect for the omega, and always felt so humbled when he saw Loki interacting with his son. The love that Loki had for his son was unparalleled, and watching the pair interact was truly a beautiful thing. Loki was so young, and he was truly trying his best. No one was there to guide him or show him how to do things, yet he still managed to raise his son to the best of his ability. And that was admirable and deserved all the respect in the world.

Loki returned with Sleipnir not too long after leaving, and settled his things near the door, kissing his son’s cheek. “I want you to be on your best behavior while you’re with the Kims, okay?”

Sleipnir nodded, unable to stop grinning. “I’ll be  _ really _ good, Mommy!”

“ _ No _ being mean to people just because they’re alphas. Okay?” Stated Loki, shooting his son a serious look. “You have to be nice to people as long as they’re nice to you.”

“I know…” Grumbled the young alpha, looking away. “I’ll be nice.”

“Good. Now give me lots of kisses. Mommy is going to miss you.”

Giggling, the young alpha leaned forward and pressed kisses all over Loki’s face, before meeting him for a final kiss. “I love you, Mommy! A lot a lot!”

“And I love  _ you _ ! So so so so  _ so _ much!” Assured Loki, kissing the tip of Sleipnir’s nose quickly. “I want you to have fun while you’re spending the night with your friend. Mommy will see you in the morning.”

“Okay!” Agreed Sleipnir, wrapping his arms around Loki and nestling his face into the crook of the omega’s neck. The pair covered themselves in each other’s scents before pulling away when a knock sounded at the door. Sleipnir quickly opened the door and shouted, rushing to hug his friend. “Joo Won!”

The little omega ran to hug Sleipnir as well, beginning to giggle. “Sleipnir!”

Sleipnir grabbed Joo Won’s hand, pointing at his Barbie house in excitement. “My mommy said that we can play barbies, and I can bring it with me!”

“Wow!” Gasped Joo Won, rushing over to the dollhouse. “It’s so big! And you even have a pool!”

Loki laughed softly and greeted Joo Won’s mother, thankful that she was willing to watch the boys for a night. “Thank you again, Seo Yoon. Please let me know if you need anything at all.”

“Of course, Loki,” Assured Seo Yoon, a gentle smile on her face. “Enjoy your alone time with Thor.” She winked and lowered her voice to where only they could hear, next. “Let loose, and just enjoy yourself; whatever that means to you.”

This made Loki’s cheeks redden, and he shook his head in amusement, sharing a look with the woman. “What time should I expect him to come home?”

“The afternoon, if that’s okay? Joo Won wants to have breakfast with Sleipnir.”

“Of course! That’s fine, just call me an hour before you’ll come so that I can make sure I’m home.” Assured Loki. He moved to pick up the dollhouse, surprised when he turned around and saw that Thor was already carrying it, along with the rest of Sleipnir’s things.

“I’ll help carry his things to the car, Loki.”

“Norns, thank you.” Breathed Loki, shooting Thor an appreciative look.

Thor walked them all to Seo Yoon’s car and packed Sleipnir’s things in, waving goodbye as they drove off. Once they were out of sight Thor turned to Loki, surprised to see tears streaming down his face. “Loki? Are you alright?”

Loki sniffed quickly, wiping at his eyes. “Norns, I didn’t even realize I was crying.” He tried to laugh but ended up crying even more, his smile wavering. “I’ve never been apart from him before. I’m so happy that he’s made a friend, and he deserves it, but he’s only been gone 5 seconds and I already miss him!”

Tutting softly, Thor pulled Loki into his arms, kissing his temple gently. “It’s alright. This is good for him, and good for you. You both need this.”

Wrapping his arms around Thor, Loki burrowed his face into the crook of Thor’s neck, trying to not sob and utterly failing. “I’ve never been without him, Thor! He’s been by my side since the day he was born! We’ve never been apart!”

Thor shushed him gently, not wanting him to get worked up. “This is a good baby step, Loki. Next month he’ll be starting school, and you’ll have to get used to being apart.”

Loki  _ broke down _ when Thor said this, and the alpha babbled, quickly realizing that this was the wrong thing to say. “I-I mean, I-It’s good that you’re learning how to be apart, Loki. That will make the reunions between you and your son even sweeter. You both deserve to live the lives you’ve always wanted. And I know for a fact that you both just want the best for each other.”

This seemed to help Loki feel better, as the omega took in a shaking breath, pulling away and nodding to himself a few times. “Y-Yeah…”

“Everything will be okay, Loki,” Assured Thor, reaching out to wipe at Loki’s tears. “Sleipnir is going to have so much fun today, and then when he comes home tomorrow he’ll tell you all about it, and it will all be worth it.” Now Loki was smiling, and he nodded again, the look on his face causing Thor’s heart to skip a beat. “Norns, you’re so beautiful, Loki.”

Being genuinely complimented was something that Loki never experienced before, and he blushed deeply, his smile only growing. “Really?”

“Yes,” Murmured Thor, leaning in and placing a reassuring kiss against Loki’s lips. “Sometimes when you smile at me… all I can do is smile back and get lost in your eyes.”

Loki let out an amazed laugh, smiling bigger than he ever had before. “You just know the perfect words to say.”

Thor leaned forward and kissed Loki again, relieved that the omega was feeling better. “Would you like me to take you out somewhere?”

The omega blinked in confusion, not understanding. “What do you mean?”

“I’m asking you out on a date, Loki,” Laughed Thor, his eyes shining with amusement.

Loki had  _ never _ been on a date before and gasped, hand coming up to his mouth in disbelief. “Really? You want to go on a date with me?”

“I do,” Assured Thor, Loki’s reaction making him feel quite sad. He didn’t know everything about Loki’s past, but the parts that he did know concerned him greatly, and it just made him want to take his time with Loki even more. Loki honestly deserved to be treated and handled with the utmost respect, and Thor wanted to go all out, giving him the dating experience that he deserved. “Let me take you out for lunch. We’ll go see a movie, walk in the park, go to a mall, whatever you want to do.”

“Lunch would be nice,” Began Loki, looking away for a moment. “And maybe we can walk around at a shopping center after? I-I haven’t been in years.”

“Of course. What do you have a taste for?”

Loki mulled over it, deciding to go with something he’d never had before. “Italian? I want to try it.”

“Then Italian it is,” Answered Thor, reaching out to affectionately rub Loki’s cheek with his thumb. “Just enjoy today, Loki. You deserve it.”

Loki honestly didn’t know how he got so lucky with running into a man like Thor, as the alpha had  _ literally _ changed his life. Even if they didn’t work out romantically, Loki knew without a shadow of a doubt that they would remain friends.

Walking to Thor’s car with him and getting in, Loki felt as if the whole experience was surreal. Never in his life had he ever gone somewhere without his son, and to know that his son was having a sleepover at his friend’s house and that he was currently on the first date he’d ever been on in his life, meant the world to him. He never would’ve imagined that him escaping five months ago would’ve led to this, and he smiled, sending a thankful prayer up to the Norns.

Thor noticed that Loki was off in his own world as they drove to an Italian restaurant that Thor liked, and he reached out, placing a calming hand on top of Loki’s. “What are you thinking about?”

“How different my life is,” Answered Loki, taking Thor’s hand and intertwining their fingers. “Five months ago, I was scared and lonely. I didn’t know if I would be able to escape with Sleipnir, and if I did escape, I didn’t know if my husband would manage to find us.”

Loki didn’t speak too much about his past or of his ex, so Thor tried to not pry for information. They were still getting to know each other, so the last thing he wanted to do was push Loki away by asking him too many questions. “And life will only get better. Now that you’re free, you can do whatever you want, without worrying about having to look over your shoulder.”

“I’ve actually thought about that,” Began Loki, nervously shifting his eyes over to Thor. “I know what I want to do now, regarding your mob.”

“Do you, now?”

“Yes… I believe that it would be in the best interests of my son and myself if I joined.” He looked away then, a pained look on his face. “My husband finding me is the scariest thought in the world, and I know that I wouldn’t be able to defend myself against him and his men if he found me.”

“Loki, please don’t join just because of me.”

“I-I’m not!” Assured Loki, rushing to explain. “I swear I’m not. Even if we weren’t giving each other a chance, I would still join.” He sighed then, gently squeezing Thor’s hand. “I need protection for myself and my son, Thor. I want to go back to school, and I can’t do that on my own until Sleipnir is older. I-I don’t want work dead-end jobs that don’t make me happy, I don’t want to live paycheck to paycheck, I want to actually  _ live _ for the first time in my life.”

“I want to wake up every day with a smile, instead of wishing that I was dead. I know what it’s like to be in a mob, I  _ know _ better than anyone what that life entails, and if I have to choose between protecting myself and my son, or a life of struggle, then I will choose to protect myself and my son; whatever that means.” Finished Loki, looking back over at Thor again. “I understand that this is a lifetime commitment. But what I’ve seen of your mob and the people in it has not once let me down or disappointed me. If nothing else, I know that my son and I will be safe. And that is  _ all _ that matters to me.”

Thor was silent for some time, mulling over Loki’s words. “You understand that this is a lifetime commitment?”

Loki had a bittersweet look on his face. “I’m aware of that.”

Thor felt terrible for the omega and squeezed his hand to catch his attention. “Hey… if something ever happens to you, and you don’t want to be in the mob anymore… just be honest with me. I can help you relocate, no one would have to know.”

“Norns,” Breathed Loki, completely blown away that Thor was offering him this. This was unorthodox, it just wasn’t  _ done _ , and he continued to stare at Thor in shock, too scared to believe him. “You’re joking…”

“I mean this. And no one can know that I’m doing this for you.” He glanced over at Loki, gently squeezing his hand again. “You’ve been through a lot, Loki. I refuse to do anything to you that makes your life worse.”

Now it was Loki’s turned to look over, and he smiled softly, rubbing at the side of Thor’s hand. “Thank you.”

The alpha brought Loki’s hand to his lips, kissing the back of his hand gently. “We can discuss the fine details later. I want you to enjoy today for what it is; a date.”

And Loki laughed to himself, a soft smile on his face. “Of course.”

He was looking forward to spending time with Thor and getting to know the alpha better and hoped that if nothing else, they would enjoy the day.

He certainly deserved it.

**༺♥༻**

Loki had never been out this late at night because he wanted to, and although he was glad that he and Thor spent the entire day together, he was quite tired. They didn’t return to Loki’s apartment until midnight, and by then Loki was buzzed from the drinking they’d done at the upscale bar they stopped at earlier. He usually didn’t have the opportunity to drink - especially with a hyperactive five year old always clambering for his attention - so he collapsed on his couch and let out a sigh of relief, looking over when Thor sat next to him. “Thank you for today.”

Thor laughed softly, a bit buzzed himself. “I had fun; more fun than I’ve had in a long time.”

Loki had never felt the urge to cuddle with an alpha before, so to feel that very inclination rising within him was quite shocking. Maybe it was the alcohol coursing through his veins that made him decide to just do it, but Loki finally found the confidence and scooted a bit closer to Thor, his heart pounding in anticipation. He felt a warm sensation flow through his body when the alpha wrapped an arm around him and pulled him closer, so he hummed and nestled into Thor’s broad chest, feeling more comfortable and content than he’d felt in  _ years _ .

Loki being this close to him meant that Thor was  _ enveloped _ in his scent, and he pulled the omega closer, kissing his temple softly. It seemed that this action sent a tendril of desire through the omega though, as Loki was quickly turning in his arms, stretching up to place a tender kiss against his lips.

Humming against his lips, Thor ran a calming hand through Loki’s hair, pulling away after planting another kiss against the omega’s lips. “Norns, you’re tempting.”

Loki wasn’t deterred though and moved to straddle Thor, kissing him again. “So touch me.”

Thor let out a strained laugh, nestling his face into the crook of Loki’s neck. “I’m trying to be respectful, Loki. I don’t want you to think I only care about your body, or what you can do to me.”

The omega kissed along Thor’s jaw, making his way to his lips. “I won’t think that.”

“Loki…”

Loki pulled away, shooting Thor a vulnerable look. “Please? I’ve never actually wanted to be touched before… I want to know what it’s like to be appreciated for who I am.”

The pair stared at each other for a few seconds before Thor sighed and gave in, leaning forward to press a soft kiss against Loki’s lips. “Tell me to stop if you feel uncomfortable at any time.”

“I will.”

Thor knew that he wouldn’t go all the way with Loki tonight, and he wouldn’t do that for some time. But appreciating Loki and his body was something that could definitely be done, and it was something that he would do tonight.

He started slow and kissed Loki amorously, not wanting to rush things. He wanted to give Loki time to get used to being touched and held intimately before trying to touch him with true sexual intent. Loki flicked his tongue against Thor’s upper lip not so subtly though, so Thor deepened their kiss, shifting his hands to Loki’s ass as he pulled the omega closer in his lap.

Loki jumped when he felt Thor grope him, and his heart began to race, intense panic and fear rising in him. He tried to calm down and tell himself that this was Thor, that he  _ wanted _ to do this with the alpha, that he  _ wanted  _ to be touched in this way.

The scent of mild panic coming from Loki worried Thor, and he broke their kiss to stare at Loki in concern. “We can stop, Loki. I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” He placed as much care in his voice as he could, moving to rest his hands on Loki’s hips. “What would you like to do?”

Loki honestly didn’t want to give up, but he didn’t want to force himself either. “Can you just hold me? And let me set the pace of things?”

“Certainly,” Agreed Thor. “Tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.”

“Kiss my neck,” Murmured the omega, eyes falling closed when Thor did just that. He let out a soft sigh and focused on the sensations that arose from Thor’s touch, and how they made him feel. Thor was gentle with his caresses and unhurried. He took his time, and did his best to reassure and comfort Loki, releasing calming pheromones to further help the omega.

When Loki had relaxed completely, Thor slipped his hands underneath Loki’s shirt and ran his hands along the expanse of his pale skin, lips back on Loki’s when the omega shivered in his arms. “Are you alright?”

Loki nodded, planting a reassuring kiss against Thor’s lips. “Just… surprised. I’ve never really been turned on just from a kiss and a few touches, before.” He looked away for a moment before looking back at Thor, still feeling a bit unsure. “Are you certain that you don’t want me to do anything to you? I-I could-”

Thor embraced Loki tighter, nestling his face back into the crook of Loki’s neck and inhaling his alluring and inviting scent. “I don’t want you to do a damn thing.” He pressed a warm kiss against his skin then, his fingers tracing along the length of Loki’s spine. “Let me take care of you.”

The deep tenor of Thor’s voice just  _ did _ things to Loki, and he shuddered, a low moan escaping his lips. Any remaining anxiety and fear left him then, and he draped his arms around the alpha, blown away that Thor running the pads of his thumbs across his nipples actually felt  _ good _ .

He couldn’t even remember the last time he ever got an erection from an alpha’s touch, and squirmed in Thor’s arms, wanting his clothes  _ off _ . 

Thor kept his current pace though, still taking his time with the omega. He really wanted tonight to be about Loki, and wanted the omega to feel appreciated and valued. He didn’t want to rush things, and truly wanted Loki to enjoy this experience. When Loki became a bit too restless in his lap Thor shifted him until he rested back against the cushions of the couch, stripping him of his clothing.

It had been quite some time since Loki had been naked in front of someone, and he couldn’t help but feel nervous, as he’d been in a situation like this one too many times. Thor’s lips on his quickly erased that anxiousness though, and he focused on what they were doing instead, his head swirling when Thor’s tongue connected with his for a sultry kiss.

Feeling Thor's hand grasp at him was shocking, and he let out a low moan, eyelids fluttering closed. His hips snapped up to rut into Thor’s hand, and he grasped at the alpha’s shirt, not understanding how being touched could feel this good. Every  _ single _ time a repulsive alpha had tried to jerk him off or fuck him it felt  _ disgusting _ , and he hated it, accepting that sex just wasn’t something that he enjoyed.

But the way Thor was touching him left him feeling so many things, so many  _ sensations _ , and he couldn’t understand why this felt so  _ good _ ! Thor breaking their kiss to press them down and along his body felt even better, and when the alpha licked at him Loki almost saw stars, arching in Thor’s hold and gasping. “W-What are you doing?!”

Thor looked up from his vantage point, confused by Loki’s reaction. “... Sucking your dick. Do you not want me to?”

“But you’re an alpha! Alphas don’t do that for their omega partners!” Insisted Loki, beside himself with shock. 

Thor kissed the head of Loki’s cock then, amused with this statement. “Do you like it when I do this?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Then I’ll do it.” He licked along the length of Loki’s cock again, grasping at the omega’s testes in his hand and rolling them gently. “Forget about you being an omega and me being an alpha. Whatever you want me to do, I will do. I want you to enjoy yourself, tonight.”

Loki let out a low moan when Thor took him in his mouth completely, his head swirling from every single sensation that Thor was giving him. All it took was Thor licking at his seam for him to climax, and he shuddered in Thor’s hold, eyes rolling to the back of his head.

Never in his  _ life _ had someone ever made him feel like this, no one had ever taken the time to pleasure him, no one had ever  _ cared _ about his pleasure, and to be lavished with affection and kisses was surreal. A warm kiss being placed against his lips brought him back, and he stretched up to kiss Thor, the desire to keep going strong.

He didn’t want to leave Thor hanging, and also wanted to spend the night exploring each other’s bodies in ways that he had been too scared to do before.

And somewhere along the way, he hoped that one day, he would be ready to just open himself up completely, and love again.

**༺♥༻**


	8. Acceptance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone. We've got a pretty long author's note before the chapter begins. It isn't necessary to read if you're perfectly fine with things and how they are written, as well as the characters' behavior.
> 
> IF, however, you are one of the readers that is bothered by 1) Sleipnir's behavior and/or 2) Loki's parenting, this message is for you, and I implore you to read it, because this is the last time I will address either of those things. If you read what I say below, and STILL comment about how Sleipnir is acting terrible or Loki is a bad parent, then I'm simply going to not respond to you. That's it. I won't delete the comment. I'll just ignore it. Because I am sick and tired of having to defend myself over and over again about something that SHOULD be common sense. Below, you will find my response to a fellow reader about this issue, that is quite detailed, and concise. If you still feel differently, even after reading that long response, I don't think this story is for you. The response is too long to fit in the Author's notes, so I will put it immediately below, before the beginning of the story.
> 
> Thank You.

CONTINUATION OF THE AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Something that I wish those reading understood about this story, is that 1) Loki is 21 and 2)Both he and Sleipnir came from a severely abusive environment. In a perfect world, you're absolutely right; Sleipnir would be reprimanded more severely, and he wouldn't act as crazy as he's acting now. But this isn't a perfect world for Loki and his son. Yes I don't have kids, but I am in school for Sociology, and I've taken a few classes about human behavior and development, especially when those humans are in stressful environments, and how being in stressful and toxic environments affect children, in every aspect of their life. If a child's earliest memories are of their (alpha) father beating the living fuck out of their mother, and kicking them across the room, or yelling at them, or screaming, they're not going to grow up to be the most well-behaved child. There is just no way. All Sleipnir knows right now is that there is an alpha attempting to be around his mother, and his only experiences with alphas are negative ones. Thor has only been in their lives for three months, and a child that comes from an abusive environment isn't going to warm up to someone that reminds them of their abuser, in three months. It's just not going to happen. I understand that you and many of these readers have children of your own, and have experienced things that I personally never have, but it just doesn't make any sense to me to expect a child like Sleipnir, who is used to beings kicked, hit, belittled, and abused, to be the sweetest, most well behaved boy on the planet at all times, and to automatically trust every alpha in his life, because he understands that not all alphas are bad. Children at that age don't make that distinction. If someone keeps hurting them, and they've experienced a certain type of person hurting them, they're going to react negatively when they're around others that remind them of the person hurting them. Hell, ADULTS do this. There are so many women (myself included) that have been abused by their fathers, and they STILL have fears about being around men reminding them of their fathers. All it takes is one man to raise his voice at me, and I'm automatically that scared little girl that is too weak and defenseless to protect myself. All it takes is one man to move as if he's going to hit me, and I'm cowering, and scared out of my fucking mind. Being around men that remind me of my father is one of the most SICKENING experiences of my life, and even after years of therapy, there are just some scars that don't heal.

So to bring this back around to Sleipnir, it is so unrealistic to expect him to act like a normal child that has never been abused. All he knows is that omegas protect, and alphas hurt, as simple as that is. And so far in his entire life, that's all that he's known, and that fact was proven time and time again when he and Loki were with Svadilfari. So when Thor comes along, of course Sleipnir is going to 1) be protective of his mother and 2) want to protect Loki and keep him safe at all costs, because he knows (in his mind anyway) what happens when alphas get around his mother. For Thor to be in their lives, it is going to take time for Sleipnir to open up and trust him, and that's completely normal. People (especially children) don't heal from trauma immediately after leaving their abusive environment. Leaving that environment doesn't magically leave them healed in every way. They still have to live with those scars, and learn how to heal from that pain. If this is something that even adults struggle with, it doesn't make any sense to expect a five year old boy to be excellent at this.

I'd also like to point out that Svadilfari was very adamant about making sure that Loki loved him more than their son, and the damage that this must've done to Sleipnir. Although Loki tried his best to reassure his son of his love, knowing that his mother wasn't allowed to love him was probably very traumatic. When he sees Thor interacting with his mother, I wouldn't doubt that thoughts of his mother not being able to love him or protect him anymore are certainly running through his head. And in his five year old mind, he probably rationalizes that he should do everything in his power to make Thor leave, so that he won't have to experience what it's like for Loki to not be able to love him freely, again.

Finally, in regards to Sleipnir's behavior, MissOctober13 is someone who works with children with learning disabilities, or children that have been abused, as their job. I know that they wouldn't feel comfortable with me writing inaccurate depictions of a child, considering the heavy topics that are written about in this story. They read over every single chapter that I've written, and point out things that could be more realistic or things that should be altered a bit. They've told me numerous times that the children they work with act just like Sleipnir, if not worse, and that it takes time and effort to get children to open up and trust again.

Regarding my other point of Loki being 21, I'd like to say this: He's still a kid himself. I just think of myself at 21, and how different I am now that I'm 22, and how different I'll be at 23. I couldn't imagine getting pregnant at 16 by a man twice my age that forced me to marry him. I can't even fathom having to raise a kid by myself at 16, while having the living shit beat out of me just for doing simple things. I don't know what it's like to have to raise a child in the midst of abuse, while I'm still a child myself, with no one to show me how to do it, or what to do. And I pray I never do. You can't possibly expect someone like Loki, who has been through some fucked up shit, to be the perfect parent who perfectly disciplines his child and raises them properly, and the child is the best child in the world. Again, it would be different if Loki had him young, and had family to help him raise his son, and parents to show him how to parent, but he didn't have any of that. Going from an abused teen with a father that was addicted to drugs, to a prostitute at 16, to being forced into a marriage with a man twice his age, and getting pregnant from the man that literally rapes him every day, to a mother that doesn't know wtf they're doing and has to figure it out piece by piece, all throughout abuse, is no easy feat. He's 21. He's trying his best, and anyone that understands what he's been through in this story, and what it's like to live a life like that and then to raise a child in that environment, would be proud of that too. And I'm not trying to undermine you and say that you don't understand Loki's situation, or Sleipnir's, because you're a stranger on the internet, and I have no idea what you've been through in your life, and what you've overcome. For all I know, you could've had a life just like this, or worse, and managed to make it out alive, stronger than ever. But I would like to urge you to understand that everyone isn't going to react to abuse or trauma the same, even if they are going through the same form of abuse and trauma. And in this story, Loki and his son are just doing their best to survive, and make a new life for themselves, now that they're finally free.

Finally, I'd like to point out why Loki is so hesitant to reprimand his son. Svadilfari literally kicked Sleipnir around and did the craziest shit to him while he was growing up (and more flashback scenes will be added as the story progresses) so he's undoubtedly terrified of making his son ever feel as scared as he did, with Svadilfari. And yes, this is something that he'll have to overcome, and I'll probably end up writing a therapy chapter for both Loki and Sleipnir sometime soon, but as of right now, Loki and Sleipnir are trying their best, and using the cards that life has dealt them, to the best of their ability.

I'm quite tired of having to explain these facts over and over and over again. I thought that this would be more apparent, considering how many people in this life grow up broken, but it seems like it isn't. I am very tired of having to explain and defend myself about writing Sleipnir the way I did. I can understand if I wrote him completely unrealistic, but I haven't. Every class that I've taken, every book that I've read, every paper I've written, every documentary I've watched, have all told me how people (especially children) act when in an abusive environment, and how it shapes them as people for the rest of their life. MissOctober13 works with children like this as a living, and has assured me that Sleipnir is acting as he should, considering what he's been through.

SO

With all of that being said, here is my final word. Loki, Thor, and Sleipnir are not YOU. They are never going to react to a situation like you personally would, because they are not YOU. Please stop reading fanfiction, which are FICTIONAL stories, and expecting every single character to not only react like you, but do things as you would, and respond like you would. These characters are not you! They're fictional characters, and these are MY interpretations of these characters. IF after alllllllllll this time you still can't fathom or understand why any of these characters are acting the way that they do, then this fanfiction isn't for you. I don't know what you want me to do. This is literally a story. This isn't real. None of these characters are real. This is just my interpretation of these characters. That's it. I'm not right in my interpretation and I'm not wrong, because these characters are fictional, and at the end of the day, I'm going to write them as I feel they should be written, considering what they have been through, for this particular story. And, before the story begins, let me reiterate one more time that if you STILL have an issue, and COMMENT, showing that you pretty much ignored everything I said, then I'm just simply not going to respond to you. Ever. Okay?

Okay.

**༺♥༻**

For the first time in half a year, Loki woke up in an alpha’s embrace.

There was a shock of fear that ran through him, and bile rose up in his throat as his heart raced. He didn’t remember Svadilfari coming into his room last night, and his eyes snapped open in a panic, relief quickly flooding through him when he saw that he wasn’t back at that mansion. He wasn’t next to Svadilfari, he was safe here, here in Thor’s arms, and in his own apartment.

_ “Norns”, _ He sighed, closing his eyes as his body sunk back into the bed.

Thor grunted and pulled Loki against his side, his voice still deep and croaky from sleep. “What’s wrong?”

Turning over, Loki nestled under Thor’s chin, breathing in the alpha’s calming cinnamon scent. “I haven’t woken up next to someone in months. I… I forgot that I was free now.” He blushed when Thor ran a comforting hand over the crest of his hip, his arms moving to wrap around the alpha. “Norns, I’ve never met an alpha that smells as good as you.”

This made Thor smile, and he pressed a warm kiss against Loki’s temple, enjoying his time with the omega. “The first time I spent the night in your bed, I woke up feeling happier and more relaxed than I’ve felt in a long time. Your scent of warm vanilla and honey is something I can get used to smelling every morning.”

“How often will I see you?” Murmured Loki, his thumb beginning to stroke gently at Thor’s back. “I know you can’t come over every night.”

“My Fridays and Saturdays are free. We can spend the day with Sleipnir, and at night we can have some fun.”

Loki snorted softly, beginning to feel a bit bold. “It’s only 9; we still have a few hours before Sleipnir comes back.” He shifted until he was laying across Thor, reaching down and grabbing at the alpha playfully. 

Quirking an eyebrow up at Loki, Thor smirked and stretched out underneath the omega, not wanting to rush things or make Loki feel uncomfortable. “What would you like to do?”

Loki’s face flushed with embarrassment and uncertainty and he looked away, beginning to stammer. “I-I don’t know. People don’t usually talk about what they’re going to do, Thor, they just do it. Planning it just makes it seem… boring.”

Wrapping his arms around Loki, Thor kissed at the scent gland on Loki’s neck, not wanting him to worry. “Well, this isn’t a normal situation, Loki.”

Hearing this made Loki freeze in Thor’s arms, and he bit a lower lip before shifting to pull away. “You’re right. I-I’m sorry, I-”

“Fuck, no, Loki,” Rushed Thor, gently grabbing Loki’s wrist and pulling him back under the covers of the bed. “That’s not what I meant.” The omega shot him an unsure look, so Thor sighed, sitting up in bed with him. “I knew what I was getting into when I suggested that we take things slow. And I don’t mind taking our time when it comes to being intimate sexually, Loki. The last thing I want is you forcing yourself to do something that you just aren’t ready to do.”

Loki bit his lower lip again, feeling guilty. “I-I  _ want _ to do things! I do! I… I just  _ can’t _ do everything I want right now, Thor.”

“And I understand that,” Murmured Thor, taking Loki’s hands in his. “Which is why I’m always going to ask you what you would like me to do, and where I’m allowed to touch you. Trust me when I say I don’t mind this; I knew what I was getting myself into, Loki.”

The pair stared at each other for some time before Loki sighed, allowing himself to be pulled into Thor’s warm embrace. “I do want to be intimate, Thor. Being touched by someone that cares about me, someone that actually wants me to feel good and doesn’t just want me for my body is so  _ liberating _ . Last night was the best sexual experience I’ve ever had, and I want to keep exploring that side of myself.”

He sat up then, continuing to explain. “There’s a part of me that wants to explore. I never believed that sex could actually make me feel good, and now that I know it can, I want to learn what else feels good. I-It’s empowering to realize that I can feel good during sex too…”

Thor could only imagine the toll that Loki’s past sexual experiences had on his mind and his willingness to be sexual, and he took Loki’s hands back in his, kissing the omega’s knuckles. “We’ll go at your pace, Loki. I’m never going to force you to do something you don’t want to do. I can always jerk off on my own.”

“But-”

“It’s alright,” Insisted Thor, kissing Loki’s knuckles again. “When you’re ready, we’ll have sex. I’m not rushing to fuck you; especially considering what you’re learning to overcome.”

It was so surreal to be talked to like this, and Loki could only stare at Thor in awe, in complete disbelief that he’d actually managed to find an alpha that not only cared about his pleasure but also didn’t want to force him to do things that he just wasn’t ready to do. He smiled sweetly at Thor and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss against the alpha’s lips. “Thank you.”

He could honestly say that he was surprised that he was so willing to be sexual and intimate this early in their relationship but understood that as long as he did things when he was ready to do them, it would all be okay. “Maybe you could try using your fingers and your tongue?”

Thor pressed a reassuring kiss against Loki’s lips, humming softly. “When is Sleipnir coming home?”

“In three hours. We have enough time to experiment, shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast.”

“That’s more than enough time,” Responded Thor, pulling Loki into his lap and beginning to press warm kisses into his jugular. “Let me know if you want me to stop, and tell me if you want me to do something to you.”

Loki nodded, his eyes fluttering closed as Thor’s tongue spread itself across his jugular, his body shuddering from his touch. Thor’s hands moved across his body expertly as if they were made just to mold him, and he sighed softly as Thor moved him onto his back, his lithe hands coming to wrap around the alpha when he kissed him deeply.

The one thing he was beginning to love about being intimate with Thor was how unhurried Thor was with everything. Thor was genuinely taking his time with him, and didn’t leave a single crevice untouched, waiting until Loki was practically  _ buzzing _ with excitement and anticipation.

He usually hated when his nipples were touched or played with, and was shocked beyond belief when he arched in Thor’s hold as the alpha drew his tongue against a nub. His reaction seemed to be a green light for Thor, as the man reached up and began to lightly tug and twist at his other nipple, experimenting with different pressures until he finally figured out what made Loki’s breath hitch.

The omega felt as if he could honestly climax just from that, and moaned lowly when Thor began to trace kisses down his body, stopping at his navel.

“Is it alright if I go lower?”

Thor’s voice was deep with passion and laden with lust, and Loki trembled from the sound, nodding almost too quickly.  _ “P-Please!” _

Kissing Loki’s navel again, Thor went lower, rolling the omega’s testes in his hand and kissing the head of his cock softly. He knew that Loki wanted him to use his tongue and fingers today, but he didn’t want to move Loki into a more vulnerable position. He had a feeling that the omega would clam up and panic if he was on his hands and knees right now.

Instead, he pressed another gentle kiss against Loki’s cock before reaching for two pillows, and lifting Loki’s waist onto them. “This will make it easier for me to touch you.”

Loki nodded breathlessly, letting out another sigh when Thor ran his tongue along the length of his cock before drawing the head of it into his mouth, reaching down and running his fingers through the alpha’s golden hair.

He groaned when Thor swallowed around him, blown away yet again when Thor circling his finger around his rim actually sent sparks throughout his body. A thick finger sliding into him made Loki’s toes curl, and he gasped when Thor slowly moved this finger in and out of him, his mind whirling from how different this was when compared to all the other times.

In the past being touched here had been so revolting, and it never gave him any form of pleasure. But now… now it felt  _ exhilarating _ . Thor curling his finger was enough to cause Loki to see white, and he grasped at the sheets of his bed as he came into Thor’s mouth.

The alpha pulled away and swallowed, looking down at Loki as the omega panted at him. “Are you alright?”

Loki nodded, his body feeling tingly and sensitive everywhere. “Norns… Norns, Thor,  _ fuck _ .”

Thor leaned over to kiss Loki, stroking at his cheek with his thumb. “How do you feel?”

“One single finger made me feel things that hundreds of alpha dicks have never been able to do.” He shook his head then, closing his eyes to bask in the afterglow. “Norns, I didn’t even feel that good while I was going through my heats with my ex! And you just used a finger!”

Settling himself back into the bed, Thor pulled Loki onto his chest, kissing at his jugular once again. “I’ve been meaning to ask you about that. I’ve noticed that you haven’t had a heat since we’ve met.”

“I have a hormonal IUD,” Answered Loki, basking in the comforting warmth of Thor’s body. “I’ve had it for four years now, so I haven’t had a heat since I conceived Sleipnir.”

Thor knew from experience with past omegas that these IUD'S usually lasted anywhere from 3 to 5 years, so he hummed softly, gentle fingers moving across Loki’s side in the hopes that this would comfort him further. “That’s a relief.”

Loki closed his eyes and continued to rest across Thor’s chest, his thumb stroking at his side. “Are you sure you don’t want me to do anything to you?”

“Do you feel comfortable touching me?”

“I-I could try, and-”

Thor moved to gently squeeze at Loki’s hip, interrupting him. “If there is a single ounce of you that is scared or uncomfortable with touching me, then I don’t want you to. I promise, I’m fine.”

Loki felt so bad for the alpha, and looked down, trying and failing to fight back the guilt rising in him. “I-I know that it isn’t easy. I’ll be able to feel more comfortable soon, so…”

“I don’t want you touching me until you truly want to, and truly feel comfortable doing so,” Answered Thor, kissing Loki’s forehead. “And I mean that.”

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes before Loki sighed softly, hating that he wasn’t able to satisfy Thor too.

He wanted nothing more than to touch the alpha and explore his body, but he was just too scared right now. Even the thought of Thor fucking him or of him having to suck the alpha off made his heart race and made panic rise within him, and as much as he wanted to go all the way, he didn’t want to force himself to do those things.

As frustrating as it was, those things would come in time. 

He and Thor lazed around in bed for the next hour, getting lost in each other’s eyes while talking about anything and everything that came to their minds.

Around 10:30, Loki received a call from Seo Yoon that let him know Sleipnir would be home in an hour, so the omega showered and got dressed, kissing Thor goodbye after breakfast. The alpha knew that Sleipnir didn’t really care for him, so he wanted to at least prevent the boy from feeling like he was stealing his mother away.

Loki was sad to see Thor go, but understood that he would be back over on Wednesday to discuss the finer details of what Loki being in the mob entailed, so, for now, Loki just enjoyed the peace and quiet of the apartment, cleaning up a bit and relaxing on his living room couch.

He was counting down the  _ seconds _ until his son walked back through that door, and as soon as he heard a knock at his front door he shot off of the couch, rushing to open the door. The biggest grin spread across his face when he locked eyes with Sleipnir, and he immediately fell to his knees, scooping up his son and smothering his face with kisses. “Oh sweetheart, Mommy missed you so much!”

Sleipnir giggled and wrapped his arms around Loki’s neck, inhaling his comforting scent. “I missed you too Mommy!”

Loki kissed his son’s brow numerous times, relieved that he was back in his arms. He finally let Sleipnir go and stood, a bit embarrassed with his reaction. “Sorry… I just haven’t been away from him in a long time.”

Seo Yoon had a patient and understanding smile on her face, and she shook her head, not wanting Loki to worry. “Sleipnir was such a good boy while he stayed over. Joo Won had a nightmare, and Sleipnir comforted him and helped him feel better. I’m so glad that our boys are friends.”

Ruffling Sleipnir’s hair, Loki smiled proudly in return, happy to hear this. “Thank you for watching them this weekend. If you ever need me to watch them, please let me know.”

“I will, I promise,” Assured Seo Yoon. She looked down at Joo Won then, who had a sad look on his face. “Joo Won? It’s time to say goodbye to Sleipnir.”

The young omega teared up, his lower lip quivering. “I don’t wanna!”

It broke Loki’s heart to see Sleipnir’s friend cry because he didn’t want to leave, and he tutted softly, wanting to help the boy feel better. “It’s alright, Joo Won. Sleipnir will see you again for self-defense classes on Monday.”

The young boy sniffed and looked up at Loki, the hope shining in his eyes utterly  _ adorable _ . “Promise?”

“Of course,” Promised Loki. “It’s only a day away.”

Joo Won sniffed again and nodded, wiping at his eyes and trying his absolute best to be strong. “B-Bye Sleipnir!”

Sleipnir huffed and wiped at his friend's tears, a determined look on his face. “Don’t be sad, Joo Won. We’ll be able to play again on Monday. And then we can have even more fun!”

This put a smile on the small omega’s face, and he laughed, meeting Sleipnir for a hug. “I-I’ll see you on Monday, Sleipnir!”

Seeing their sons hug goodbye was one of the  _ cutest _ things Loki had ever witnessed, and he shared a smile with Seo Yoon, thanking her again. “I’ll see you again on Monday, Seo Yoon.”

The woman waved goodbye and took her son’s hand, so Loki closed the door, happy that his son was back with him. “Did you have fun?”

“Yeah! Joo Won’s Mommy read us a really cool bedtime story, and she even sang a song for us! And I had dinner for breakfast! We ate ribs and rice and soup, and it was really good!” Prattled Sleipnir, running over to the couches in the living room and collapsing backward onto them. “Also, his Mommy and Daddy played barbies with us, and took us to the park! And we got to go on the swings!”

Hearing about his son’s day filled Loki with a unique happiness, and he sat down next to him on the couch, humming when Sleipnir moved to nestle into his side. “I’m glad you had fun, sweetheart.”

“I missed you a lot though, Mommy,” Confessed the young child, looking up at Loki shyly. “I was really sad and cried a bit at night because you weren’t there.”

Hearing this made Loki want to cry and he tutted, pulling his son into his lap. “Mommy missed you too, sweetheart. But Mommy is also very happy that you have a friend now.”

“Me too. Daddy never let me have friends, so I’m happy that Daddy isn’t here anymore.” Sleipnir bit a lower lip then, meeting Loki’s gentle gaze. “Is Daddy gonna find us?”

“No,” Answered Loki, shaking his head quickly. “No. Daddy will never find us. And Mr. Thor and his friends are going to protect us every day, so we’re safe now.”

Sleipnir’s shoulders sagged in relief, and he moved to nestle his face into the crook of Loki’s neck, inhaling his comforting scent. “I love you, Mama.”

Loki smiled softly, holding his son close. “Mommy loves you too, sweetheart.”

**༺♥༻**

Loki was excited to see Thor again on Wednesday, and couldn’t help but smile as he opened the apartment door for him, meeting the alpha with a warm kiss. “Thank you for coming over.”

Thor hummed softly, returning Loki’s kiss. “Of course.” He couldn’t help but notice that Sleipnir was silently glaring at him from the couch of the living room, and laughed softly as he made his way into the apartment, sitting down across from the boy. “Hello, Sleipnir.”

“...Hello, Mr.Thor…” Grumbled the young alpha, obviously unhappy that he had to be polite to Thor.

“Sleipnir, why don’t you go play in your room for a bit? Mommy will take you out to the park once I’m done talking to Mr. Thor.” Suggested Loki.

“But I wanna stay here!” Argued the boy, crossing his arms defiantly. 

“Mommy needs to have an adult conversation with Mr. Thor, sweetheart. Please go to your room.”

Sleipnir groaned and jumped off of the couch, snatching his gaming system out of its dock and stomping dramatically to his room. 

Once the pair were left alone Loki sighed, tucking a section of his hair behind his ear and growing serious. “I want to discuss our plans moving forward since I’ve joined the Asgardian mob. I want to know what will be expected of me.”

Thor nodded, growing serious as well. “Because of what you’ve been through, I’m never going to force you to contribute to the mob in any way, shape, or form. If you wanted to sit there and do nothing for the rest of your life, you technically could. Of course, this is something that no one wants, but…”

“No, I don’t want to do that!” Rushed Loki, sitting forward on the couch. “I-I want to go to school! I want to get my G.E.D, I want to graduate from college, I want to work on computers like Hogun does and get into hacking, I want to do so many things! I don’t want to do absolutely nothing for the rest of my life.” 

He sighed then, trying to calm down and not get so worked up. “I want my life to  _ mean  _ something, Thor. I want to be a proud role model that my son can look up to. I want so much out of life, now that I’m finally being given the chance to make it my own.”

Loki often had small outbursts like this when Thor said something that reminded him of his ex or of his past, so he wasn’t taken aback by Loki’s rush of emotion. “Then we can help you do those things, Loki.”

The omega nodded, his shoulders sagging in relief. “I ordered a laptop so that I could take classes and get my G.E.D… I should have it before the year is over, so I’m hoping that I can register for the community college nearby for the spring.” 

“Alright. Well, you will still receive the monthly stipend of $10,000 until you’re able to truly begin working for the mob. We’ll be able to pay you more and more as your skill level increases.” Assured Thor. “We also need you to learn how to drive. When you gain more experience with the topics Hogun is teaching you each week, we’ll need you to go to various places or follow us on certain hits that are important. You’d never be in the line of danger, but our cyber front and capabilities are very important to us.”

“Of course. Who will teach me how to drive?”

“I will,” Answered Thor. “I’ve already gotten you a car.”

Loki’s eyes almost popped out of his head, and he laughed nervously, staring at Thor like he had three heads. “Y-You bought me a car?”

Thor nodded, beginning to explain. “We really need you to learn how to drive. I don’t want to teach you how to drive in  _ my _ car; as much as I care for you, I’d be pissed if my car got banged up.”

“How am I going to pay you back?! Cars are so  _ expensive _ , and-”

“Don’t worry about paying me back, Loki.” Assured Thor, shooting Loki a gentle look. “A car dealership owner owed me a favor, so it didn’t cost me anything to get your car.”

“But insurance! I-”

“I’ve taken care of that as well. The mob has our own insurance across the board. Now that you’re a member, you have health insurance, automobile insurance, and life insurance, should anything happen to you.”

Loki quirked up a confused eyebrow, not understanding how this was possible. “But… you’re a mob. Mobs don’t run legitimate businesses.”

“Of course we do,” Laughed Thor, an amused smile on his face. “I don’t just kill or threaten people every day, Loki. I have businesses. The Asgardian mob has legitimate businesses and ties to almost every political sphere in this region. We control everything in this region. Controlling legitimate businesses helps keep curious eyes away from us; no one would ever think that we’re a mob just by looking at us.”

“Norns,” Breathed Loki, shocked that Thor’s mob was run like this. “This mob is nothing like my old one.”

Thor  _ really _ wanted to know which mob Loki came from, but every time he tried to bring it up, Loki shot him down or refused to answer, so he sighed, deciding to go with a safe, neutral answer. “All mobs are not the same.” He cleared his throat then, going over various agreements that Loki needed to make in order to be a member of the Asgardian mob.

It took about an hour to go over everything, and once they were done Loki felt nervous anticipation rise in him. He knew that this was the right decision for himself and his son, and although he was quite nervous to be in another mob, he’d seen enough from Thor and from the various members of this mob to know that he and his son would always be protected.

“I suppose when you come over on the weekend, you can begin teaching me how to drive. Are you sure you want to waste your days doing that?” Asked Loki, shooting Thor an unsure look.

“I’m certain, Loki. I honestly feel quite protective over you, and I’m not too keen on putting you in situations with people that you don’t know or trust.” Answered Thor. “You’ve only been free from your ex-husband for a little over five months. I understand on some level that it’s going to take some time to get used to trusting others again.”

Loki honestly didn’t understand how an alpha like Thor existed, and he just felt grateful to even have the man in his life. Even if they didn’t work out romantically, just having a friend like Thor really meant a lot to him. “Thank you, Thor. For everything. I wouldn’t have been able to make it as far as I have, without you.”

Thor had a gentle expression on his face, and he reached out to take Loki’s hand, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. “You would’ve found a way, Loki. You’re much stronger than you believe yourself to be.”

The tears were welling in his eyes before he could stop them, and he laughed to keep from crying harder, quickly wiping at his face. “I-I’m sorry, I just… no one’s ever really believed in me before. That just meant a lot, coming from you.”

Seeing Loki cry broke Thor’s heart, and he tutted gently, pulling the omega closer and wrapping a stabilizing arm around him. “Norns, Loki…”

“I-I’m sorry, I just-”

“Don’t apologize for something like this, Loki.” Murmured Thor, running his hand through the omega’s raven black hair. He felt terrible for Loki, and it honestly hurt his heart to hear that Loki had never been complimented like this before.

The pair sat in comfortable silence while Loki tried to calm down, and once he was able to stop crying he took in a shuddering breath, shooting Thor a soft smile. “Thank you, Thor.”

The alpha leaned forward to press a soft kiss against Loki’s lips, not wanting him to worry. “I have to go, but I wanted to show you your car before leaving.”

Loki had completely forgotten that Thor got him a car, and felt flustered all over again, quickly standing. “Norns, I still can’t believe you did that. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for what you’ve done for us, Thor.”

“As long as you’re able to make a better life for you and your son, that’s all that matters. I can’t save everyone, but I was able to help you, and I’m thankful that you allowed me to.” Answered Thor, standing up as well. “I should be here around 12 on Saturday, and we can work on teaching you how to drive, then.”

“That works out perfectly, actually. Joo Won is coming over to spend the night at five, so as long as I am back at the apartment by then, I can do it.” Loki sighed then, turning to call for his son. “Sleipnir!”

It took the boy all of two seconds to come out of his room, and he rushed over to Loki, latching onto the omega’s legs and looking up at him curiously. “Are you done talking about “adult” stuff?”

“Yes,” Snorted Loki, ruffling his son’s hair. “Follow Mommy and Mr. Thor outside, Mr. Thor wants to show me something.”

Sleipnir seemed unsure, but he didn’t comment, taking Loki’s hand instead and following the pair out of the apartment.

Thor hadn’t gotten Loki the fanciest or the most expensive car - he knew that the omega would never accept it - but he’d gotten a brand new midsize SUV for Loki in a sleek black color that he knew the omega would like. “Here’s your car, Loki; do you like it?”

Loki’s jaw dropped to the ground, and he stared at the SUV in shock, a million and one thoughts running through his head. His first reaction was disbelief, and he quickly turned to Thor, mild distrust and fear on his face. “A-Are you sure you want nothing from me? I can’t repay you for this, Thor, I-I-”

“Loki,” Interrupted Thor, trying to be as gentle as possible when he spoke to the man. “It’s alright. I don’t want you to pay me back. I don’t want you to do anything except take this opportunity, and use it to make a life for you and your son that you can look back and be proud of.”

This just made Loki tear up, and he shook his head quickly, his head still whirling. “ _ Norns _ , Thor. Thank you. I can’t say that enough.”

Loki’s reaction caused Thor to feel a pang in his chest, and he tutted, reaching out to pull Loki in his arms. “It’s alright, Loki. Things aren’t perfect, but they’re better. And knowing that you can make whatever you want out of life now makes this worth it.”

Wrapping his arms around the alpha, Loki nestled his face into the crook of Thor’s neck in a rare display of vulnerability, and covered himself in the alpha’s scent, the strong scent of cinnamon calming him down. Once he realized what he was doing he inhaled sharply, tearing himself out of Thor’s arms and beginning to babble. “I-I’m sorry! I just-”

“It’s alright, Loki,” Assured Thor, an awed look in his eyes. “I don’t mind.” 

Holding Thor’s gaze for a moment, Loki finally relaxed, a small smile forming in his lips. “Thank you.”

Loki’s smile always made Thor smile in return, and the alpha reached out to caress Loki’s face, his thumb gently rubbing across Loki’s cheek. “I’ll be back on Saturday. I’ll see you then.” They leaned in for a sweet kiss before separating, and Thor looked down after pulling away, shooting a smile at Loki’s son. “Goodbye, Sleipnir. I’ll see you on Saturday.”

Sleipnir didn’t seem too happy that Thor would be returning later in the week, and pouted, crossing his arms and grumbling out a measly “Goodbye, Mr. Thor.”.

Loki waved goodbye and rested a calming hand on Sleipnir’s shoulder, looking down at his son. “Thank you for being on your best behavior, sweetheart. Why don’t we go play at the park before the sun sets?”

This immediately erased Sleipnir’s pout, and the little boy nodded, getting excited. “You have to chase me, Mommy! Let’s play tag!”

Loki was just glad that he was able to still be active with Sleipnir, and stretched dramatically before setting his sights on his son. “Well, you better run! I’m gonna get you!”

Squealing, Sleipnir darted off towards the park in the apartment complex they lived in, Loki close on his tail. “You can’t catch me, Mommy!”

Loki followed his son to the park, snorting when Sleipnir’s nimble body managed to climb the ladder heading to the playground jungle gym in record time. “Do you really think I can’t climb up and get you?”

Sleipnir stuck his tongue out and teased Loki, an impish grin on his face. “You can’t come up here, Mommy! Only kids are allowed!”

“Oh  _ really _ ?”

“Yeah!” Shouted Sleipnir, staring down at Loki triumphantly. 

Looking over the jungle gym, Loki thought about the best way to get up there without hurting himself. He was quite tall, so he couldn’t exactly climb up onto the jungle gym that was created for children. He suddenly realized what he could do though and feigned defeat, casually walking towards one of the slides connected to the jungle gym. “I suppose you’re right, sweetheart. Mommy just can’t fit on the jungle gym.”

Sleipnir narrowed his eyes, not trusting Loki for a second. “What are you doing, Mama?”

“ _ Maybe _ I can try  _ this! _ ” Laughed Loki, gripping the slide on both sides and running up it.

Yelling in surprise, Sleipnir backed up as Loki reached out to grab him, quickly twisting out of his hold and jumping off of the jungle gym. “No!”

Letting out a breathless laugh, Loki slid down the slide and darted off towards Sleipnir, chasing him to a nearby tree and finally managing to grab him. “I’ve got you!” Announced Loki, a triumphant grin on his face.

Sleipnir giggled when Loki covered his face in warm kisses, and squirmed in his arms, the biggest grin on his face. “That’s not fair, Mama! You’re bigger than me, so you can run faster!”

Loki chuckled softly and sat down under the tree they were currently next to, settling his son onto his lap. “One day you’ll be bigger than Mommy.”

“And then I’ll be able to win tag?”

“Yes,” Snorted Loki, kissing his son’s cheek. “One day you’ll be a big, strong alpha, and you’ll be able to protect people.”

Sleipnir hummed softly, leaning back into Loki’s warm embrace. “I’ll always protect you, Mama. If Daddy ever comes back, I’m gonna hurt him like Mrs. Seo Yoon taught me! And I’m gonna make sure that no one ever hurts us again.”

It honestly pained Loki’s very soul to hear his son talk like this, and he kissed his son’s cheek gently, a calming hand coming to rub at the boy’s side. “You and I are safe now, Sleipnir. Mommy is so sorry that Daddy hurt us. But it will  _ never  _ happen again. We’re finally free, and we get to love each other as much as we want. And I want you to know that I love you so much, and I always will. You mean everything to me.”

Looking up at Loki, Sleipnir raised an unsure eyebrow, the look on his face breaking Loki’s heart. “Even more than Mr. Thor?”

“Sweetheart, Mommy will always love you more than anyone on this earth. You are the most important person in my life, and you always will be.”

“But what if you have a new baby?”

“Then Mommy will love you  _ and _ your sibling more than anyone on this earth.”

Sleipnir seemed to think this over for a few seconds before looking back at Loki. “You’ll love us the same?”

“Exactly,” Assured Loki, kissing his son’s temple again. “The baby would deserve to be loved just as much as you, right?”

“Yeah,” Agreed Sleipnir, continuing to relax against Loki. “Are you gonna have a new baby with Mr. Thor?”

Loki laughed nervously, nestling his face into the crook of his son’s neck. “…I don’t think Mommy will be having any babies any time soon, sweetheart.”

“Well if you do, I’ll love the baby just as much as you love me.” Announced Sleipnir, a happy grin on his face. “And I’ll be really nice to them, and give them lots of hugs and kisses. And if anyone is mean to them, I’ll protect them.”

This was the sweetest thing Loki had heard in a long time, and he smiled softly, kissing his son’s cheek again. “I love you, sweetheart.” It felt so  _ good _ to just tell his son this whenever he wanted without fear of retribution, and he squeezed his son as tight as he could, kissing his face again and again. “And I always will.”

Giggling, Sleipnir wrapped his arms around Loki and hugged him just as tightly, nestling into the crook of his neck so that he could inhale Lok’s warm vanilla and honey scent. “I love you too, Mama! A lot a lot!”

And it was here that the pair remained for the rest of the day, playing in the park together until the sun set.

And after dinner that night, Loki didn’t say anything when his son climbed into bed with him, choosing instead to just pull him closer and kiss his temple softly. 

**༺♥༻**

It took about a month and a half for Loki to grow comfortable behind the wheel, and by the time Sleipnir’s first day of school rolled around, he was able to drive him to school by himself.

The weekend before Sleipnir started Kindergarten though, Loki took him out shopping at one of the bigger malls in the city. Sleipnir had never been to a mall before, so Loki was really excited to take him here and buy him clothes for the school year. Of course, he didn’t feel comfortable going alone, so he’d asked Thor to come with them.

He and the alpha had been seeing each other for two months now, and he could honestly say that things were great. There wasn’t really a title on their relationship, but Loki didn’t mind too much, as they both just wanted to take things slow and enjoy getting to know each other. He was also pleased that Sleipnir had been trying to be nicer to Thor, as the boy responded to Thor whenever the alpha spoke to him, and even asked Thor questions about himself when he thought Loki wasn’t listening.

Their life was peaceful for the first time, and Loki could only thank the Norns that he’d taken that leap of faith, and escaped from Svadilfari. He didn’t want thoughts of his ex-husband to cloud his mind though, so instead, he focused on the shopping trip, squeezing his son’s hand affectionately as they walked toward the main entrance of the mall. “Are you excited?”

Sleipnir nodded, grinning up at him. “Yeah!”

Together the trio entered the mall and walked around, letting Sleipnir dictate where they went. Loki truly wanted to splurge on this trip, and let Sleipnir get as many clothes and shoes as he wanted, since he’d never been able to do that before.

Sleipnir was just amazed at how big the mall was, and rushed into an electronic store, immediately running over to a remote-controlled toy car. “Mama, look!”

“We’re here for clothes, Sleipnir. This isn’t a toy shopping trip.”

Pouting, the little boy put the toy back, shooting Loki another pitiful look. “But Christmas is so far away…”

Loki wasn’t fooled by Sleipnir’s act, and shook his head no. The boy had so many toys at home that he could make his own toy store, so he really didn’t need this car toy. “Sleipnir, you have so many toys at home. You’re not getting a toy today.”

The young alpha continued to stare at him with eyes shining like a puppy begging for a treat, and Loki huffed, annoyed that Sleipnir knew exactly what to do to pull at his heartstrings. “If you have a good first week at school, and listen to everything your teacher says, you can come back and get this. Okay?”

“Okay!” Laughed Sleipnir, all of his pseudo sadness immediately gone. 

Taking Loki’s hand again, the young boy hummed, swinging their arms happily. “What is school like, Mommy?”

“It’s really fun, and you’ll be able to make a lot of friends.” Answered Loki. He didn’t want to share a single negative experience about school, because he wanted Sleipnir to be excited to go. “And you’ll have so much fun, and learn so many things.”

Sleipnir looked over at Thor then, a nervous look on his face. “What about you, Mr. Thor?”

Thor was just happy that Sleipnir was warming up to him, and smiled, thankful for this. “I loved school. Of course, homework wasn’t fun, but I enjoyed being around my friends every day.”

Sleipnir inhaled in surprise, his eyes wide in disbelief. “I can see my friends every  _ day _ ?!”

“Yes,” Snorted Thor, amused with the boy. “When you go to school, you get to see your friends every day. And you even get to play on the playground every day for an hour.”

Now Sleipnir’s jaw was almost on the floor, and he looked over at Loki, who nodded to confirm this. “Wait. I get to see my friends every day,  _ and _ play outside for an hour?”

“Yes, Sleipnir,” Answered Thor, unable to stop smiling. It meant so much to him that the little boy was actually having a conversation with him that didn’t revolve around the boy’s hatred or mistrust of him. “And when you’re hungry, the teacher has snacks for all of you, and after snack time, your teacher will read you a story.”

“Wow!” Breathed Sleipnir, in complete awe. “And I get to go every day?”

“You only have a break on Saturday and Sunday,” Answered Loki, leading Sleipnir into a clothing store for young boys. “And then on Monday, you go back again.” He was just relieved that Thor helped get the young alpha excited for school, and shot him a warm smile, his heart skipping a beat when the alpha smiled back. “Let’s pick out some clothes for you, Sleipnir. Pick out whatever you want.”

Nodding, Sleipnir began to look around the store, handing Loki shirts or pants that he liked so the omega could put them in their shopping bag.

“Thank you for coming with us,” Began Loki, looking over at Thor. “I really didn’t feel comfortable coming to a place like this without someone protecting us.”

Thor hummed, placing a comforting hand on Loki’s hip. “I don’t mind. I was going to come over tonight anyway, so it worked out perfectly.”

The pair smiled sweetly at each other before Thor’s gaze moved to Loki’s lips not so subtly. “May I spend the night?”

Loki's face heated up, and he nodded, unable to fight back the grin stretching across his lips. “I would like it if you did.”

“Then I’ll stay,” Murmured Thor, his thumb moving to caress Loki’s cheek as he kissed him.

“Yuck!” Griped Sleipnir, putting a few shirts and a pair of shorts into the bag that Loki was carrying. “That’s gross, Mommy.”

Snorting softly, Loki pulled away from Thor and looked through the clothes that Sleipnir put in the bag. “Is this everything you want from this store?”

“Yeah.” Chirped the young boy. “Everything else is ugly.”

“Alright. Well, let’s check out and head to the next store. I want you to have enough clothes to get you through fall.”

They went through the mall like this for the next two hours, buying Sleipnir so many clothes and shoes that both Thor  _ and _ Loki’s arms were bogged down with bags. They called it a day around five and packed up Loki’s car, heading back home. Loki was in the mood to cook dinner with everyone, and decided that some lasagna would be fun to make together. 

He already had the ingredients at home, so after they arrived at the apartment and put away Sleipnir’s clothes, the trio gathered in the kitchen, beginning to prep the meal.

Sleipnir was on his step stool next to Loki cooking the beef with him, and Thor was cooking the pasta, feeling quite happy.

Being with Loki and his son offered him a level of comfort and domesticity that he had been yearning for, and he honestly enjoyed being around the pair each weekend. It was nice to take a break from the harshness and cruelty of his life, and being with Loki and his son was like a breath of fresh air. It was air he didn’t want to stop breathing, air that he didn’t want to let go of, air that reminded him that life was beautiful, and that things  _ could _ become good again.

Dinner with the pair was peaceful, and being able to let go and just talk about miscellaneous things with Sleipnir or Loki made the night perfect.

After Loki put Sleipnir to bed and closed his door, he returned to the living room of the apartment, sitting down next to Thor on the couch and not so subtly nestling up next to him. “Sleipnir is asleep. And I turned on his fan, so he shouldn’t hear anything.”

Thor wrapped an arm around Loki and pulled him closer, raising an eyebrow at the omega. “Oh?”

“I… I also bought a few condoms, earlier…”Murmured Loki, looking up at Thor and nervously biting a lower lip. “I-I think I’m ready to try having sex.”

This was something that Thor didn’t expect to hear, and he widened his eyes, worried about the omega. “Are you sure? I told you, I’m okay with waiting. I-”

“I’m sure.” Rushed Loki, steely determination in his eyes. “I want to. And I have an IUD, so we don’t have to worry about… you know… _ pregnancy. _ ”

Searching Loki’s gaze, Thor exhaled slowly, feeling torn on the issue. He wanted nothing more than to be with Loki in this way, but he couldn’t ignore the omega’s past. The last thing he wanted was for him to make Loki feel like all those other alphas in the past did, and he looked away, trying to decide what to do.

Loki moved to nestle his face into the scent gland on Thor’s neck, sliding into the alpha’s lap. “If I feel like we need to stop, I’ll tell you. I at least want to try.”

Thor couldn’t stop himself from wrapping his arms around the omega, and pulled him into his lap completely, his nose immediately planting itself in the crook of Loki’s neck as well. “... If we do this, you have to tell me when you feel uncomfortable.”

“I will,” Assured Loki, pressing a soft kiss against Thor’s jugular. “I promise.”

Hands moving up the back of Loki’s thighs, Thor pulled the omega closer, tracing soft yet purposeful kisses against his jaw, making his way to his lips. 

Kissing Loki always felt like heaven, and it didn't take long before their kisses gained a fever, hands exploring each other's bodies, running under shirts, gliding across skin. His tongue couldn't help  _ but _ rub along the length of Loki's own, their lips parting and soft moans escaping their throats as they pulled each other closer. 

Loki tried his best to deepen the kiss but immediately gave up when Thor took control, feeling a warm jolt of pleasure run through him as he slackened his jaw so that Thor had more access to his tongue.

The second he felt Thor’s hand snake down to his crotch and unzip his jeans, that same jolt ran down his spine, his erection springing free. Thor’s hand was so warm, and he clutched at the alpha as he jerked him off, trying to keep his voice down. The last thing either of them needed was Sleipnir walking in on them.

Thor seemed to have the same thought, and he broke their kiss to nestle at Loki’s neck, his teeth grazing at the scent gland here. “Are you sure you want to continue?”

“ _ Please _ ,” Begged Loki, running his fingers through Thor’s golden hair as the alpha sucked a hickey onto his jugular. “ _ Fuck _ , please.”

This was all he needed to hear, so the alpha hooked his arms underneath Loki’s thighs and lifted him up, slanting his lips back across Loki’s as he carried him to his bedroom. Once the door was closed Thor set Loki down on his feet and deepened their kiss again, hands removing Loki’s shirt.

Loki was eager to move things along and lowered his pants and underwear, quickly kicking them off and removing Thor’s shirt before the alpha pulled him back into his arms, hungry kisses being shared between them as Thor walked him backward to the bed.

He felt more comfortable being naked around Thor since they’ve been together for almost two months, so he scooted back a bit to make more room for Thor and smirked up at him when the alpha settled his pelvis between his legs. “Are you going to take off your pants?”

“I want to focus on you before we get to me,” Murmured Thor, grinding against Loki playfully. 

Letting out a strained laugh, Loki spread himself out more under Thor when he felt a purposeful digit slide into him, a small part of him beginning to get a bit nervous. It’d been half a year since he’d had sex, and he’d  _ never _ been consensually intimate with someone before, so while he was certain he wanted to do this, he was still nervous.

Thor kissing at his neck brought him back to the moment, and he let out a soft sound, slowly squirming under Thor. “You can use three of your fingers, Thor.”

Humming, Thor did just that, carefully pumping his fingers in and out of Loki, preparing him so that he’d be able to take him.

When he finally felt ready Loki reached down and ran his hand along Thor’s side, catching his attention. “I-I’m ready. The condoms are in the drawer.”

Placing a calming kiss against Loki’s lips, Thor pulled his fingers out of him and opened the drawer, and amused laugh leaving his lips. “Loki, these are never going to work.”

Loki quirked up an eyebrow, confused and worried. “Why? Are they expired? They shouldn’t be, I  _ just _ bought them.”

“They’re  _ way _ too small,” Answered Thor, setting them back on the nightstand and shifting his eyes back up to Loki. “I don’t have any with me…”

They searched each other’s eyes for a moment, each of them trying to gauge where the other was at, now. Finally, Loki sighed, looking away for a moment. “I went to the OBGYN last week, to be tested. I just wanted to make sure that my ex didn’t give me anything before I asked you to have sex with me. I-I don’t have anything, and the papers are on my dresser if you want to look at them.”

Thor was genuinely surprised that Loki still wanted to have sex, and hummed softly, staring down at the omega with gentle eyes. “If you still want to, we can continue. But if you don’t feel comfortable going further without a condom, then we won’t.”

“I-I still want to have sex, Thor. But… I don’t feel too comfortable moving forward if you’re having unprotected sex with others.” He nervously looked up then, his heart beating with anticipation. “I know that we haven’t talked about where we are in our relationship, but-”

“You don’t have to explain yourself, Loki,” Murmured Thor, that same gentle look in his eyes. “I’ve been single for four months. And I’m not seeing anyone casually on the side. You’re the only one I’m with right now.”

The  _ biggest _ grin spread across Loki’s face, and he let out a wondrous laugh, utterly  _ shocked _ that the alpha was seeing him, and him only. He’d always had it in the back of his mind that Thor was surely seeing others, but he hadn’t cared, as he and Thor had never really defined their relationship. They were admittedly taking it slow, and were both okay with that, which was why Loki never asked him if he was seeing anyone else.

Stretching up to kiss the alpha, Loki rubbed his thumb across Thor’s cheek, staring up into his deep, sea-blue eyes. “Then I still want to have sex.” He kissed Thor again and nipped at his lower lip playfully, bringing the fervent sexual energy from earlier back. “Fuck my brains out like I know you want to.”

Hearing Loki talk like this was surprising, and he laughed to himself, stripping free of his underwear and pants before tossing them across the room. “I hope you can keep that same energy when you see me.”

Loki had honestly never seen or touched Thor’s cock, as he’d always been too nervous to do so. Every time they were intimate Thor always focused on him and his pleasure to get him used to sexual intimacy again, so when he looked down he almost fainted and snapped his legs closed, immediately scooting up and away from Thor. “What the fuck, Thor?! A-Are you  _ trying _ to kill me?! Not even my ex was that big,  _ fuck _ , I-”

Thor felt bad about Loki’s reaction, and shifted to sit next to him, taking Loki’s hand in his. “If you’re not comfortable continuing, we won’t. I’m not forcing you to do a single thing Loki.”

Loki couldn't help but  _ gawk _ at Thor’s massive cock, in complete disbelief that Thor was just casually walking around every day with this weapon in his pants. “Fuck, I still want to try, but by the Norns  _ please _ go slow.  _ Please _ . I need to be able to walk tomorrow.”

Snorting, Thor moved back to his hands and knees, reaching above Loki. “I have an idea; raise your hips for me.”

Warily raising his hips, Loki quirked an eyebrow up when Thor placed two pillows under him. “What are you doing?”

“Something that will help relax you.” He kissed Loki’s smooth inner thigh then, the look in his eyes causing Loki to shudder. “Spread yourself for me, Loki.”

Nervously spreading himself, Loki jumped when he felt Thor’s tongue against his rim, and gasped, reaching to pull him away. “What are you  _ doing?! _ ”

Now Thor was confused, and he sat up a bit, staring at Loki’s curiously. “You’ve never gotten a rim job before? Male omegas love these.”

“...No… everyone that I’ve been with so far hasn’t been too interested in my pleasure…” Admitted Loki, shame on his face. “I-I know I don’t have much experience, but-”

Thor kissed Loki’s inner thigh again, beginning to release calming pheromones. “That’s alright, Loki. Just let me take care of you, tonight. I’ll show you how to love the pleasure that your body can give you.”

The alpha always knew what to say to make Loki feel assured and comfortable again, so Loki nodded, spreading himself once more. “Then… show me. We have all night.”

Now that the mood had been restored yet again, Thor went back to work, pulling out everything he knew about this form of pleasure and making sure that he didn’t stop until Loki was writhing and twitching underneath him, as relaxed and ready as possible.

Loki had  _ never _ realized that his body could feel this good, and he let out a low moan when Thor’s fingers and tongue left him, the craving for Thor becoming too intense to bear. “Fuck, Thor, I-I’m ready, I need you to-” He was silenced by a swift kiss to his lips, and when he felt Thor nestle and begin to rut against him, he wrapped his legs around his waist and pulled him closer, the desire to have Thor in him a compulsion by this point. “ _ Fuck, Thor, please,” _ He begged, letting out a low moan when the thick head of Thor’s cock pushed past his rim and entered him. 

Thor was no better, and gripped at the sheets below him, forcing himself to enter Loki at a breathtakingly slow pace. “ _ Norns.” _ Loki was gripping at his wrist tightly, so he went even slower, waiting a few seconds for every inch that was slid into the omega. Once he was in completely he let out a shaky breath, looking down at Loki. “Are you alright?”

Small shudders ran throughout Loki's body, and he exhaled slowly his heart racing. He was proud that he was able to take Thor in completely and loosened the grip on the alpha’s wrist as the seconds passed, nodding when he was finally ready for Thor to move. “I’m fine.”

Pulling his hips back, Thor gave a test snap of his hips, the hitched gasp that left Loki’s lips making his cock throb. It seemed that the omega had relaxed enough to handle more, so Thor braced himself on his forearms and started off at a gentle pace, his face nestled into the crook of Loki’s neck as the omega grasped at his hips, encouraging him to let go, and move how he wanted to move.

Loki’s scent was the one thing in this world that could drive him mad, and he groaned again, the heady scent of vanilla and honey filling his nostrils and making him want  _ more _ . Now that Loki was used to him the omega gasped or moaned a bit louder, shifting in his arms and crying out as he moved into him, and Thor  _ loved _ it, the sounds spilling from Loki’s lips only encouraging him to keep going, to learn what pleased the omega, to try and find that perfect angle that would have the omega arching in his arms.

Thor giving a particular snap of his hips made Loki see  _ stars _ , and he let out a choked cry, his nails dragging across Thor’s back. The orgasm from this tore through him, and he froze in Thor’s arm as every nerve within him lit aflame, the crashing waves of sensation causing a prolonged moan to escape him.

The alpha wasn’t far behind him, and feeling Thor spill into him made him more emotional than it should’ve. It seemed like minutes passed before either of them could speak, and when Thor finally noticed that Loki was crying he felt his heart drop, immediately feeling like the worst alpha in the universe. “ _ Shit _ , Loki! I-I’m sorry, I-”

The omega shook his head, wiping at his tears. “I’m not crying because of you.” He knew that the alpha was confused and he felt terrible for ruining the post-coital bliss, so he sniffed, trying to explain himself. “I’m just happy.”

Thor’s shoulders sagged in relief when Loki said this, and he sighed, moving to lie on his side so that he could pull Loki into his arms. “Talk to me, Loki. What’s going through your head?”

Loki sniffed again, wrapping his arms around Thor and burying his face under the alpha’s chin. “I’m just happy that I was able to experience what intimacy like this feels like. I honestly believed that something like this would never happen to me.”

“So… you’re not upset or scared?”

“No,” Murmured Loki, a soft smile on his face. “I’m alright. I’ve just never been with someone that actually cared about me, and my pleasure and I got a bit emotional.” He inhaled Thor’s deep cinnamon scent again and hummed, the warmth of Thor’s skin relaxing him. “It was just liberating to experience that with someone that actually cared about me, and wanted me to feel good.”

Thor could only imagine the pain in Loki’s heart, and he was quite proud of the omega, pressing a warm kiss against his temple. “You’re a wonderful person, Loki. And I’m honored that you feel comfortable enough with me to express these parts of yourself to me.”

Never in his life had he ever met an alpha that had been as emotionally in tune to their emotions as Thor, and he pulled away a bit, looking up at Thor. “Why are you so patient and understanding? This all feels like a dream, and I’m so scared that I’ll wake up, and… and you’ll change. Or even worse, that I’ll realize that I was misinterpreting your kindness.” He shook his head then, trying to not tear up. “I have so many fucking issues, Thor. I don’t know what you’re seeing in me.”

Thor sighed then, pulling Loki back into his arms. “When my ex lost our child, and when I gained the courage and strength to leave her, I wasn’t okay. And I wasn’t okay for a long time. And while my friends helped pull me out of that darkness, there was still a crater in my chest that I felt could only be filled by the family that I’d lost… the family that had been taken from me.”

It was hard to talk about his past, but Loki was so open with him, and he felt it was only right to be that way in return. “My mother begged me to go to therapy when I started drinking heavily, and on a whim, I went. The Asgardian mob uses its own medical professionals when we can, so I went to one of our therapists that was in the mob, and understood what this lifestyle was like. And she changed my life.”

He looked down at Loki then, a soft smile on his face when Loki’s sage green eyes met his. “I didn’t really like who I was, then. And… and therapy helped me become who I wanted to be. And when you’re ready, I think it would be a good idea for you and Sleipnir to go.”

Therapy had never been an option for Loki before - he’d never had the money, and he’d never been allowed when he was with Svadilfari - so now that he was in the Asgardian mob, he began to realize that he had the ability to truly change his life for the better, and make something of himself. 

And that all started now.

“I believe that we should go, too.” Answered Loki. “I really want to take this opportunity that I have, and make this life my own.” He looked back up at Thor then, reaching out to caress his cheek. “Thank you for caring about me, and helping us. Even if you and I decide that we should just go back to being friends, you’ve helped show me that I’m deserving of love, and that I have the right to live the life I’ve always wanted. And that means more to me than you’ll ever know.”

Thor moved to caress Loki’s cheek as well, closing his eyes to press a warm, slow kiss against Loki’s lips. “I don’t want us to go back to being friends, Loki. I want to continue being with you, and exploring what we’re doing. Spending time with you, and getting to know Sleipnir makes me happier than I’ve been in years, and… and I really want to continue this.”

Loki’s smile was as radiant as the sun, and he couldn’t help but kiss the omega again, absolutely certain about his words. “If you feel comfortable exclusively dating me, then I would love to explore this aspect of our union, Loki.”

If someone had told Loki six months ago that an alpha as charming and kind and loving as Thor would want to date him, he would’ve scoffed. People like Thor just didn’t  _ like _ people like him, and yet… Thor was here. He wasn’t with another omega, cuddled up next to them. He wasn’t spending his time with other omegas on weekends or during the week. He was always here with Loki. And now that Thor was confessing to him, he decided that he would take this leap of faith, and decide for himself that he deserved to love.

And he deserved to be loved in return.

He surprised them both when he pulled Thor closer, and kissed him deeply, pouring all of his desire to try and to explore this union into the kiss. When he pulled away, Thor had a stunned look on his face, and it made Loki laugh, his heart feeling like it was soaring. “I’d love to date you, Thor.”

Loki’s eyes were shining with excitement, and seeing his entire face being lit up was what did it for Thor. And he knew then that a spot in his heart would always be reserved for Loki.

**༺♥༻**


	9. Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO beautiful people!
> 
> We're back!
> 
> First and foremost I do want to apologize for the hiatus. I had a personal death in the family, AND my classes for the summer term started, AND math class is kicking my ass, AND all of this really stressed me out, so I just needed some time to myself, and MissOctober13 was very understanding about this. But I was able to find some free time, and write up the next chapter.
> 
> Also, MissOctober13 had the brilliant idea of writing from Sleipnir's perspective, so they wrote the first scene of this chapter, from Sleipnir's point of view. We really hope you enjoy that, as well as the rest of the chapter.
> 
> I'm a bit tired so I might come back tomorrow morning and reread this chapter to fix any errors that I didn't catch, but other than that, we're good to go :) enjoy~

**༺♥༻**

Sleipnir yawns big, stretching his little arms high above his head. It's still early, too early to be fully awake. The only reason he is even up is to go cuddle in bed with his mama, which is something that he does every morning. Sometimes, he gets up before mama does and they snuggle, but if Loki is up before him making breakfast Sleipnir will usually go to his mama’s bed anyways, nestling into the cozy blankets, being comforted by his mama's scent and lulled back to sleep. 

Getting out of bed Sleipnir patteres his way over to Loki’s room but stops abruptly in his tracks when he notices the door is closed shut. It is unusual to him because his mama’s door is never closed all the way, they both always leave their doors half open in case they need each other. Like when the monster comes. If Sleipnir has a nightmare about the monster he can either call out to his mama or run straight into his room with no problem. No barrier between them; that’s how they liked it. He wonders why mama would do this; does he not want him anymore? Sleipnir sniffles at the sudden though, eyes tearing up at the idea of his mama not wanting him anymore.

“No!” He exclaims in a loud whisper. “Don’t be silly mama always wants me.” Sleipnir assures himself, grabbing the door knob slowly, opening the door and tip-toeing inside straight over to Loki’s bedroom. Loki is laying on his side facing him with the covers pulled up to his chin, sleeping peacefully. He is just about to pull the blanket over to get inside and snuggle when a loud noise interrupts and startles him. 

Sleipnir jumps back from the bed only to hear the loud noise again that he identifies as a ginormous snore. “Mama doesn’t snore. But the monster does!” Sleipnir starts to panic that HE could be back, and hurt them again. 

Sinking down onto the hardwood floor Sleipnir could no longer support his trembling little body, feeling so light headed, so dizzy it almost made him feel sick. His heart pounding rapidly against his chest with each shallow breath he takes, it feels like a stabbing pain that would never dissipate but go on continuously, torturing him. This pain he is all too familiar with when they lived with his daddy he would get it regularly. 

Mama called it an anxiety attack. He would tell Sleipnir to take deep calming breaths, and close his eyes and think of something happy. Always he thinks of his mama smiling, laughing and having fun together. Being far, far away from daddy. When he could his mama would take him in his arms, holding him securely as they scented each other with lots of kisses in between. Though sometimes daddy wouldn’t let mama comfort him no matter how much he begged, and pleaded; daddy would just end up yelling and screaming, saying bad words. He would even hurt his mama by hitting him in the face or stomach. That always made Sleipnir’s attacks worse when he saw mama getting hurt. Every so often daddy would hit him too, which always made mama scream and cry more.

A tiny sob escapes out from between his lips at the memory. Tears and sweat run down his cheeks as he takes deep calming breaths just like how his mama taught him. Though instead of closing his eyes and thinking about his mama, Sleipnir looks straight ahead at Loki, zeroing in his face. He notices something odd; his mama doesn’t look scared or sad. Not even a little miserable, no instead he looks happy, a faint smile gracing his lips as he sleeps soundlessly. No, if the monster was really here mama would have his eyes wide open, his body tense, and a look of horror written on his face. Not to mention the smell of fear reeking off of him. 

‘No, instead it smells like’ Sleipnir takes one last deep breath, the anxiety slowly starting to fade away when he brings his nose up into the air taking a huge sniff, the scent of honey and vanilla invading his nose. “Mama,” He whispers happily. 

Wiping the tears out from the corner of his eyes Sleipnir takes another big sniff, wanting to revel in that comforting scent of Loki when another aroma seizes his nostrils. It's definitely familiar somehow but he can’t put his finger on it. Scrambling up from the floor, Sleipnir moves closer to the bed and stands up on his tippy toes, looking over Loki’s sleeping body only to see an enormous lump under the blanket, covered from head to toe which made it impossible to identify who it is. 

He continues to sniff out the mystery scent only to determine it is definitely something that smells sweet and spicy. Other than it being familiar he doesn’t have any clue about it. Another giant snore erupts from the enormous lump, once again scaring the bejesus out of him, causing Sleipnir to rock back onto the balls of his feet. “Sounds like a dragon!” It may sound like a dragon but he knows it’s definitely not one; though it would be pretty cool if it was. 

Sinking down onto his hands and knees Sleipnir crawls over to the other side of the bed very quietly so he won’t get caught. He is on a secret mission. Not to mention a dangerous one at that, and it wouldn’t be good if he got caught before the mission even begins. What kind of spy/ninja would he be? A rotten one that’s for sure. 

When he arrives at his destination he peeks up at the bed observing his target who is obviously a scaredy cat hiding instead of facing him like a worthy opponent. No matter, Sleipnir will do what needs to be done in order to protect his mama, that is one of the mission’s assessments after all. Plus he loves his mama, and wants him to be safe. 

Very slowly he stands up from the floor now at close range to the villain’s hiding spot, but before he makes any sudden moves Sleipnir must make sure it’s safe, every good spy/ninja knows that. Ever so carefully he extends out his index finger poking on the side at whoever resides under the blanket. When a funny noise comes out Sleipnir can’t help but giggle a little and pokes again just for fun. He needs to get back to the mission though since he knows now it's safe to move along. It is time to reveal the villain, and put a stop to his evil doings.

Without hesitation Sleipnir grabs a hold of the blanket and tugs it down at last, discovering who the evil-doer is, and what he discovers shocks him to his very core. Sleipnir is in complete disbelief, can hardly breathe let alone blink an eye as he stares down at none other than Mr. Thor. 

Mr. Thor who is in bed with his mama shirtless lying asleep on his stomach, head facing him sporting a big goofy grin on his face that Sleipnir wants to hit, but he knows he can’t hit or kick anymore no matter how much he dislikes someone. He will get in trouble from mama. Also he doesn’t want to be a bad alpha like his daddy.

Eyes popping out of his head, Sleipnir notices something else that infuriates him even more he can’t hold in his growls, Mr. Thor’s arm is curled around his mama’s body as if it belongs there. It doesn’t! Sleipnir balls his hands into little fits at his side and stomps his foot while continuously growling in anger and outrage. “That doody-head alpha!” He snarls. “Potty faced frog breath alpha!” Luckily no one wakes up from his fit. 

Sleipnir makes the awful mistake of moving his gaze further down, and he almost chokes on his own spit at the sight that beholds him; a bare naked butt. More specifically, Mr. Thor’s bare naked butt in plain view. He can even see tiny little blonde hairs on it. “Eww gross, butt!” Sleipnir hurries covering his eyes with his hands to block the view completely. However it does not block the image in his head that will forever be in his brain. “Nasty alpha butt.” He whines. He will most definitely be scarred for life.

When he hears sudden movements and a sleepy groan, Sleipnir peeks through between his fingers, worried that Mr. Thor is waking up now. But nope he is still asleep, just pulling the blanket back on him covering his nakedness and moving onto his back, snoring more. 

“Thank the Norns!” He whispers, copying what his mama always says. An arm of Thor’s falls off the bed hanging limply to the side when something shiny catches Sleipnir’s attention; an expensive silver watch around the wrist. “Ooo, pretty!” He can’t look away from the gleaming piece of jewelry. 

It is so hypnotizing, putting him in a little trance, when a wonderful,  _ brilliant  _ idea comes to mind. The perfect justice for this intrusive alpha who wants to take his mama away from him. That is one of Sleipnir’s biggest fears besides for his daddy finding them, that another alpha like Mr. Thor takes his mama away, and Loki won't be able to love him anymore or he’ll get hurt. 

It was so hard on him when daddy wouldn’t let mama love him all the time, but he understood that mama would be hurt if he did, so he tried real hard to be a brave little alpha for him. Now he is so used to mama loving him all the time, and loving him back with tons of kisses, hugs, and cuddles Sleipnir doesn’t want it to go back to the way it was before. 

He sniffles, wiping his forearm on his nose. Just thinking of those dreadful times brings tears to his eyes, but he will be strong and not cry. He has a brilliant plan he needs to do. A mischievous smile is brought to his lips when eying the watch. 

Sleipnir is so careful as he takes the watch off of Thor’s wrist, being as gentle as possible so the big alpha won’t wake up. Once off, he holds it closer to his face examining it, the watch has tiny red gems where the numbers should be, and a gold circle around with matching sticks inside. Turning it around, Sleipnir sees words written on the back but he doesn’t know what they say, besides one word that sticks out like a sore thumb to him,  _ Mom _ . His mama taught him how to read little words like, dog, cat, and of course mom. 

It is so pretty; too bad his plan is flushing the watch down the toilet, but it will teach the big alpha a lesson. Maybe then Mr. Thor will go away forever, and it will just be him, and his mama again no one else forever. Sleipnir snickers as quietly as possible, creeping his way over to the bathroom to complete his mission when his foot gets caught in something; a pair of jeans. Big jeans that are for sure not his mama’s. “Ugh gross!” Also underwear.

Sleipnir kicks his foot out to freedom, and then with the tip of his fingers he picks up the offensive item, without care tosses it over his shoulder out of sight, unintentionally landing on top of Thor’s head who continues sleeping. “Now back to mission impossible.” Not really sure what impossible means but he heard on the tv once, sounded cool. 

As any great spy/ninja knows, always keep a watch out for things. Sleipnir turns his head left to right making sure nothing is amiss, he looks up and down when he sees a black leather wallet on the floor where the jeans were. Curious he picks it up and peeks inside it seeing tons of money and different colors cards, one with a tiny picture of Mr. Thor on it. He was just about to drop it down when another brilliant idea suddenly pops into his head. A mischievous glint flashes in his eyes, and an impish grin on his lips at the very idea of putting the wallet in the oven to burn. Yes, burn! It should be easy, he sees mama do it all the time.

Sleipnir cackles, dashing off into the kitchen where he grabs an oven mitt off the counter for protection so he doesn’t get burnt, just like mama always does. Very, very cautiously with the mitt covered hand he opens the oven door, throwing the wallet in without a second thought or regret and then swiftly shutting the door after so the fire won’t get out. Sleipnir rubs his hands together enthusiastically, all the excitement getting to him. Too bad he can’t see it burn into dust.

He has to finish the dangerous mission and can't give up now. Now it’s time for operation flush. With the watch in hand he happily skips back into his mama’s room, and straight into the bathroom, standing over the toilet bowl looking down at the water.

Without wasting any more time he lifts up the watch above the bowl, before he can change his mind - not that he really would - Sleipnir drops it down into the dirty toilet water and claps his palms together happily, successfully completing the mission. 

Although before he can really celebrate something strange happens, instead of the water going down like it is supposed to do, it’s coming up and out the toilet making a funny noise. “Oh no!” This shouldn’t be happening, it's ruining everything! 

Sleipnir whines, looking down at the wet floor and his wet feet, freaking out. “Mama is going to be so mad!” He cries. There is only one thing to do now, Sleipnir storms out of the bathroom and Loki’s room goes straight to his. 

Jumping onto the bed he gets under the covers and pretends to be asleep hoping he doesn’t get in trouble by mama. Or importantly Mr. Thor doesn’t beat them. He is so nervous. Sleipnir whimpers a couple of times, grabs his stuffed horsey Cheerio and holds it close to his body for alleviation, and waits. 

**༺♥༻**

Loud gurgling causes Loki to stir. 

He was getting used to waking up in Thor’s embrace and frowned when the gurgling sound only got louder, quite confused. He blinked slowly a few times and sat up in bed, inhaling sharply when he saw that water was pooling out of his bathroom and onto the bedroom floor. “Oh my Norns! Shit, shit, Thor!”

The alpha snapped awake, sitting up and quickly realizing what was going on. “Norns! What happened?!” Flipping the blanket back, Thor rushed out of bed and into the bathroom, Loki close on his heels. It looked like the toilet was overflowing, so he lifted the top of the toilet lid off, releasing the pump and causing the water to stop flowing.

Loki was  _ so _ relieved Thor was here and shook his head, trying to figure out what happened. “I don’t know what happened! It was working fine last night! I-Is this a plumbing issue?”

“I don’t know,” Sighed Thor, just as confused. “I’ll call a plumber.”

“Norns… Alright, well, I’ll make some breakfast for us.” Answered Loki, heading back into his room and pulling on some casual lounge clothes. “Do you think it’s just the toilet? What if the other plumbing is backed up, too?”

“I don’t think so…” Murmured Thor, continuing to study the toilet. “I think that something was flushed that shouldn’t have been flushed.”

Loki blinked back in bewilderment, reaching for a handful of towels and dropping them onto the floor to soak up the water. “What? But you and I were both in bed. Who else could’ve-” He inhaled sharply again, beginning to connect the dots. “ _ Sleipnir _ !”

Loki’s yell reverberated throughout the apartment, and Thor felt a little bad for the boy. He noticed that his watch was missing from his wrist and put two and two together, figuring that the boy stole his watch and tried to flush it down the toilet. It honestly did upset him a bit - more annoyance and frustration than anger, honestly - as that watch was a gift from his mother and meant a lot to him. He just hoped that the plumber would be able to retrieve the item. “My watch is missing, Loki… I think Sleipnir flushed it down the toilet.”

The omega’s heart dropped and he whirled around, beginning to plead with Thor. “I-I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry, Thor,  _ please _ don’t hurt him, I’m so sorry!”

Thor was confused as to why Loki thought he would hurt Sleipnir and he reached out, his heart breaking when Loki flinched. “Loki?”

Loki honestly hated crying, but he couldn’t fight back the tears that were forming, shaking his head quickly. “I’m sorry!”

The alpha had been around Loki long enough to know when the omega was getting triggered by something that reminded him of his abuse and shushed him gently, taking his hand and encouraging him to follow him back over to his bed. “I’m not going to hurt you. And I’m not going to hurt Sleipnir for doing this.”

Sniffing again, Loki nodded, hands on his temples as he took in a calming breath. “My ex almost killed Sleipnir when he was a baby for doing the exact same thing.”

The event was just  _ so _ fresh on his mind.

Sleipnir had been 18 months old and was at that stage where he was just getting into everything. Loki tried his best to keep Sleipnir away from Svadilfari - the alpha was always annoyed with the child and would kick him or threaten him if he bothered him - but it was hard, as the young boy didn’t understand yet that Loki couldn’t always be by his side.

Svadilfari always came into his room whenever he wanted, and that night Loki was thankful that he’d put Sleipnir to bed before his husband entered the room. After being fucked he somehow managed to fall asleep a few hours later. Of course, he didn’t sleep long, as he heard happy giggling from the bathroom in their room.

Sliding out of his husband’s arms, Loki rushed to his bathroom,  _ praying _ that his son hadn’t made a mess. Life was shitty though and the Norns never listened, so he wasn’t even surprised when he entered the bathroom and saw that it was a mess. Toilet paper was  _ everywhere _ , water was flowing out of the toilet, and he couldn’t help but curse when he saw Sleipnir drop his father’s watch in the toilet. “Sleipnir! No!”

His son giggled innocently and looked up at him, reaching out to be picked up. “Mama!”

“Sleipnir, why did you do this?! You know you’re not supposed to go to the bathroom without Mommy!” 

Before Loki could stop him Sleipnir had reached up and pulled down the handle of the toilet, flushing Svadilfari’s watch down the toilet.

Loki felt his heart sink and he began to cry, as he knew that he was in for the beating of a lifetime. He couldn’t get mad at his son -he was just an innocent baby that didn’t know any better - but he felt so frustrated, and sank to the tiled ground on his knees, beginning to cry.

“No, Mama!” Yelled Sleipnir, toddling over to Loki.

Sleipnir shouting was the last thing Loki needed to happen, and he just wanted his life to end when he heard Svadilfari’s enraged shout.

“ _ Loki! _ Why the fuck is he up?! Shut him up!”

Sniffing, Loki quickly wiped at his tears, trying to calm down. “I-I’m sorry! I’ll put him to bed, now.”

“What the  _ fuck _ happened to the bathroom?!” Shouted Svadilfari, entering the bathroom and looking around in disbelief. “Did he fucking do this?”

“I-I’ll clean it up, don’t worry, I-”

It was then that Svadilfari noticed the water pooling from the toilet. “What the fuck is wrong with the toilet?! Did he-” The alpha narrowed his eyes when he realized that his watch was missing, and he looked at his wrist, the vein in his head throbbing dangerously. “Loki.”

Svadilfari had only spoken to him calmly once before, and it was back when Loki told him he was pregnant. The alpha had beat him within an inch of his life in an attempt to get Loki to miscarry, and it had taken  _ weeks _ for Loki to recover.

Loki  _ knew _ that he had to say and do whatever he could to rectify this before Svadilfari killed him, and he immediately pulled Sleipnir behind him,  _ begging _ for his husband’s forgiveness. “Husband, I-”

“Move.”

Loki began to sob and he reached out to plead with his husband, knowing that if he moved, Svadilfari would kill Sleipnir. “Husband, husband  _ please _ , I’ll do anything, I’ll do  _ anything _ , just don’t hit him, just hit me,  _ please _ just-”

“Get. The.  _ Fuck _ . Out. Of. The. Way.” Growled Svadilfari, the pheromones pouring from him so menacing and deadly that they made Loki want to throw up. “I’m not going to tell you again.”

It was then Loki realized that he and his son might die tonight. 

He let out a pitiful sound and decided that if they did, he would do whatever he could to protect his son. Knowing that this was it  _ killed _ him, because he knew that once Svadilfari killed him, no one would be there to protect or watch over Sleipnir.

He didn’t know why he still did this, but he sent a silent prayer up to the Norns, asking them to protect his son’s soul at all costs. He didn’t care what happened to him, he just wanted his son to be okay.

And it was that love for his son that made Loki grab his son and wrap himself around him, prepared to deal with whatever abuse Svadilfari was going to give him. He wasn’t letting the alpha get to his son.

Svadilfari stomped on Loki’s back so hard that the air was knocked out of him, and he grabbed at his hair, yanking him and trying to pry his arms apart to get to Sleipnir.

Loki was screaming by this point and forced himself to hold on, not willing to give his son over to the alpha.

By this point, Svadilfari managed to grab at Sleipnir’s shirt, and he  _ tore _ the little boy out of Loki’s arms, throwing him as hard as he could against the wall of the bathroom.

Sleipnir fell to the ground and didn’t move, and in that moment Loki believed that he lost everything. The  _ fear _ that ran through him was unlike anything he ever experienced in his life, and the immediate emotion that came after that fear was anger.

A passionate rage-filled Loki then, as he truly thought his son was dead. And if Sleipnir wasn’t here, there was no point for Loki to be alive either.

The scream that tore through him could undoubtedly be heard throughout the mansion, and Loki jumped on Svadilfari like a wildman, hitting him so hard that they both fell to the ground.

Svadilfari seemed stunned that Loki was actually attacking him and Loki used that to his advantage, yanking the shower curtain down and causing the rod to fall to. “What did you  _ do?!”  _ Screamed Loki, hitting his husband with the rod so hard that it began to bend. 

Svadilfari tried to grab it from him but Loki was quicker, fueled by the passionate rage of a mother that believed they just lost their child. He pulled back and used all of his strength to whack his husband on the side of his skull, sending the alpha flying back and knocking him out.

He didn’t stop there though and kept hitting him, determined to kill him for killing their son. Loki didn’t care what happened to him, he didn’t want to exist if Sleipnir wasn’t with him, and he broke down when he heard a sickening  _ crunch _ come from Svadilfari’s skull.

He crawled over to his son once he was sure Svadilfari wasn’t going to wake up and pulled the boy into his arms, breaking down even more when he saw the blood pouring from the back of his son’s skull. He saw the faint rise and fall of his son’s chest though and he weeped openly, relief flooding through him.

If his son was breathing that meant that there was still hope. Scrambling to stand, Loki ran out of the bathroom and laid his son on the bed, immediately grabbing his phone and dialing Thrym, Svadilfari’s personal henchman.

The  _ second _ Thrym answered Loki was begging him to bring a doctor to the room. He knew that he was racing against the clock to save his son, and he needed to do whatever he could to make sure the boy survived.

The calming scent of cinnamon brought Loki back, and he took in another shuddering breath, remembering that everything was okay now. Thor was  _ nothing _ like Svadilfari, and he didn’t have to be scared anymore.

He took in another shaking breath and wiped at his tears, knowing that he needed to explain. “The night Sleipnir did that, I thought my ex killed him. And I  _ lost _ it. I beat my ex within an inch of his life and fractured his jaw and skull, I broke some of his ribs, I fractured his arm, and… and I thought that my life was over. I thought he killed my son and I  _ lost _ myself, Thor.”

He didn’t want to think about the aftermath of what happened back then anymore and shook his head, trying to calm down. “I’m sorry. I’ll do whatever I can to replace the watch, I’ll put Sleipnir on punishment, I’ll do whatever I have to do to make this right, but please,  _ please _ don’t hurt him.”

It broke Thor’s heart to see Loki this undone and he pulled the omega into his arms, shushing him gently. “It’s alright, Loki. I’m not going to hurt you, I’m not going to hurt him. Everything is okay.”

Loki’s body sagged in relief and he nodded, beginning to calm down. “If you call a plumber, I’ll go talk to Sleipnir.”

“Of course,” Murmured Thor, kissing Loki’s temple gently. “I’ll figure this out.”

Loki stood from the bed then and left his room, opening the door to Sleipnir’s room. It hurt him to see his son cowering in fear on his bed, and although he was  _ furious _ with the boy for doing this, he understood that Sleipnir was just scared too.

Sitting down on the edge of the boy’s bed, Loki patted next to him, looking over at his son. “Come here, Sleipnir.”

The little boy sniffed, crawling over to Loki and sitting down warily.

“Do you have anything to say?”

Sleipnir teared up, unable to meet Loki’s gaze. “Is he gonna hit me?”

Loki sighed softly, hating that his child was this scared. “No, sweetheart. He isn’t going to hit you.”

“Did he hit you?”

“No, sweetheart. He didn’t hit me.”

Sleipnir finally looked up at him, disbelief on his face. “But I flushed his watch! I made him mad!”

Loki wrapped a comforting arm around his son, pulling him closer against his side. “Because Mr. Thor is kind, sweetheart. He’s not going to hurt you, and he’s not going to hurt me.”

“Even if I’m bad?”

“Yes.”

This seemed to make the child think, and he and Loki sat in silence for a few minutes before Sleipnir finally spoke. “I’m sorry, Mommy.”

“I’m not the one you need to apologize to. You need to say sorry to Mr. Thor.”

“He won’t hit me?”

“No,” Assured Loki. “Before you apologize to him, I need you to know that you are in  _ very _ serious trouble. You’re on punishment for the next two weeks, and you can’t play with your games or your toys. You can only read, write, or color. And you’re not allowed to hang out with Joo Won either. After two weeks, if you’ve been good, then you can slowly gain your privileges back. But Mommy needs you to understand that you  _ can’t _ hurt people or be mean, just because you’re scared.”

Sleipnir’s face scrunched up into a frown as he tried to hold back his tears but he nodded anyway, understanding his punishment.

“Now let’s say sorry to Mr. Thor, hm?”

“O-Okay.”

Standing up, Loki grabbed his son’s hand, walking him back to his bedroom. Thor was dressed and cleaning up the bathroom by then, so Loki gently pushed Sleipnir in front of Thor, urging him to begin. “Go on.”

Biting a lower lip, Sleipnir looked up at Thor, quite nervous. “U-Um… I-I’m sorry, Mr. Thor.”

Loki tutted, not pleased with this. “What else are you sorry for?”

“U-Um… I’m sorry I flushed your watch down the toilet.”

“ _ And _ ?” 

“A-And I’m sorry that I hurt your feelings and made you sad.”

Thor was touched by Sleipnir’s apology and reached out, a firm but comforting hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for apologizing, Sleipnir. It means a lot.”

Sleipnir flinched when Thor touched him and looked back at Loki, a fearful look in his eyes. “Is the apartment gonna burn down?”

“Why would the apartment burn down?” Asked Loki, beginning to get worried. “...What did you do, Sleipnir?”

“...I put Mr. Thor’s wallet in the oven.”

Loki immediately ran out of the bedroom, Thor quick on his tail. The pair rushed into the kitchen, sighing in relief when they noticed that the oven wasn’t turned on. “ _ Fuck _ , thank the Norns.”

Opening the oven door Loki pulled out Thor’s wallet, thankful that Sleipnir didn’t know how to turn the oven on. “Thor, I am so sorry,  _ fuck _ . I’m sorry. I-I’ll take him to therapy next week. H-He’s trying his best, and-”

“It’s alright, Loki.” Murmured Thor. He was a bit pissed - he’d been dealing with Sleipnir’s shenanigans for four months now - but he couldn’t be too upset, as he knew that Sleipnir had been through some fucked up shit. “I think it would be a good idea if we all spoke.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Sighed Loki. “Sleipnir, come here, please!”

Sleipnir slowly made his way into the kitchen, beginning to cry again. “I-I’m sorry!”

“Sleipnir, Mr. Thor and I need to talk to you. Come on, follow me to the living room.” He took his son’s hand and sat him down on the couch in the living room, setting him with a look. “Sleipnir… I know that you’re scared. Daddy was so mean to us. And he hurt us, a lot, didn’t he?”

The young boy nodded, staring at Loki nervously.

“But that doesn’t mean that Mr. Thor will. In the time that Thor has known us, has he ever done anything to hurt you?” Asked Loki.

“...No…”

“But you haven’t been very nice to him at all, have you?”

“...No…”

Setting his son with another look, Loki’s gaze softened when he saw that his son was beginning to understand. “Sleipnir… you can’t hurt people because you’re scared or hurting, too. Just because Thor is an adult doesn’t mean that his feelings don’t get hurt. You have to be  _ nice _ , sweetheart. You can’t be a mean person. That’s not who you are.”

Sleipnir teared up and nodded, climbing off of the couch and walking over to Thor. To the shock of Thor and Loki, Sleipnir jumped up to sit next to Thor and stood on his knees, warily hugging the alpha. “Mommy always hugs me when I’m sad… and I made you sad…”

Thor immediately wrapped his arms around the boy, emitting the most  _ calming _ pheromones he’d ever produced in his life. He wanted this moment to be special, and didn’t want the little alpha to be scared. “Thank you, Sleipnir. I forgive you.”

Sleipnir pulled back a bit, looking at Thor warily. “You’re not mad?”

“Not anymore, Sleipnir. Thank you for saying sorry.”

Relief washed over the boy, and he moved to crawl back over to Loki, climbing in the omega’s lap. “I’m sorry, Mama…”

Loki was just amazed that Sleipnir actually hugged Thor, and hugged the boy close, kissing his temple. “Mommy forgives you, sweetheart. Just don’t be mean, anymore.”

“‘Kay,” Murmured Sleipnir, nestling his face into the crook of Loki’s neck.

Even though this had been an emotional morning, it had turned out to be a much needed experience. And while he wasn’t naive enough to think that Sleipnir would immediately warm up to Thor, this… this was a start.

**༺♥༻**

Loki didn’t know how he was going to make it.

Today was Sleipnir’s first day of school, and he was an absolute  _ nervous _ wreck. Sleipnir couldn’t be happier of course - the little boy kept prattling on about how many friends he was going to make, and how much fun he would have - but Loki was in a panic.

He wanted nothing more than for Sleipnir to enjoy school and have a normal childhood, but he had never been apart from Sleipnir like this, and felt like he was losing a part of himself for every minute that he got closer to the boy’s school.

Thankfully, Sleipnir’s school was only a 10-minute drive from the apartment, so Loki would be counting down the  _ seconds _ until his son was back in his arms.

Thor was busy today so Loki was all alone while he drove Sleipnir to school. He wanted a chance to meet the teacher and see the classroom before leaving Sleipnir, so once they arrived Loki parked in an open parking space and opened his door, getting out of the car and helping Sleipnir out as well.

“Mommy, are you okay?”

Loki looked down at his son as he helped him put on his bookbag, raising an eyebrow at him. “Of course, sweetheart.”

“You don’t look okay,” Commented Sleipnir, taking Loki’s hand as they walked over to the front doors of the school. 

“Mommy is fine, sweetheart, I promise. Mommy is just really happy for you because you’ll have  _ such _ a fun day at school.” Answered Loki, looking around at all of the parents and students bustling about.

There were attendants available that were directing students and parents, and one of them locked eyes with Loki and smiled, making her way over to him. “Hello, dear. Are you here to drop off your little brother?”

“I’m trying to find my son’s kindergarten class,” Corrected Loki. He understood why she would think this -he  _ did _ have Sleipnir at 16 - but he wasn’t ashamed to be a young parent. He loved his son more than anything, and never regretted choosing to keep him. “I think his teacher is named Miss Anderson.”

The attendant seemed surprised that Loki was Sleipnir’s mother but tried to hide it, gesturing for Loki to follow her. “The kindergarten hall is this way.”

Gripping Sleipnir’s hand, Loki followed the attendant through the halls of the school and to a classroom, seeing the teacher’s name plastered outside on the door. “I think this is it.”

“The teachers are letting the parents stay for the first hour of instruction, today.” Informed the attendant. “Just thought I’d let you know.”

Thanking her, Loki entered the classroom with Sleipnir, greeting his teacher. “Miss. Anderson?”

Sleipnir’s teacher was a bubbly omega that seemed to be in her mid to late twenties, and she grinned when she saw the pair, making her way over to them. “Hello! Who might you be?”

“This is Sleipnir, and I’m his mother Loki,” Introduced Loki, gently urging Sleipnir forward. “He’s excited to make some friends today.”

Miss Anderson crouched down, affectionately pinching at Sleipnir’s cheek. “Well aren’t you a cutie! How old are you?”

“I’m five!” Giggled Sleipnir, beginning to get over his shyness.

“Why don’t you come and meet your classmates, Sleipnir?” Asked his teacher, standing up and taking his hand. She looked back up at Loki then, shooting him a gentle smile. “Feel free to stay for the first hour, Mom. We like to let the parents see the children interacting with each other so that everyone feels more comfortable saying goodbye.”

Loki bit back a frown and nodded, trying to behave. He wanted to play with Sleipnir and help introduce him to the other children, but he understood on some level that Sleipnir had to learn these skills himself. He’d already been hindered severely by his upbringing, and Loki didn’t want to do a single thing that made that worse.

He moved to the back of the classroom with the other parents and began to observe his son, relief flooding through him when Sleipnir easily cemented himself into the group of kindergarteners. 

“You and your brother look  _ just _ alike.”

Loki turned to look down at a middle-aged male omega, a slight frown on his face. “I’m his mother, actually.”

The male omega widened his eyes in shock, looking back and forth between Loki and Sleipnir. “H-How old are you, hun?”

“I’m 21.”

The man acted as if Loki said he was the spawn of Satan and gasped, taking a step back. “Norns! You’re just a child yourself!”

Now Loki was offended, and he narrowed his eyes at the man, asserting himself. “I’ve been doing  _ just _ fine since I’ve had him, and I don’t see how that is any of your business.”

The male omega blinked in surprise, giving Loki a once-over. “Well if you ever need any advice, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. My name is Darryl; I’m the class mother.”

Loki hadn’t been in school in years, but from what he could recall a class mother was a parent that helped the teacher with the kindergarten class. The parents in the kindergarten class usually took turns helping the teacher each day or week, and would chaperone on field trips and help with school events. 

This was something that he wanted to do - he honestly wanted to be as involved in Sleipnir’s school life as possible - and hummed, knowing he would never ask this person advice on parenting. He was pretty damn proud of himself for everything he’d done for his son and himself, and anyone who thought differently could go fuck themselves. 

It seemed like most of the children were in class now, so the teacher helped each one sit down at their tables and went to the front of the room, greeting everyone. “Hello! My name is Miss Anderson, and I’m so honored to be your children’s teacher for the next school year. I would like every student to go around and introduce themselves.” She looked over at Sleipnir next, nodding at him. “Why don’t you go first, honey?”

Sleipnir looked at his classmates, obviously nervous. He pushed through it though and began to speak, looking at Loki for reassurance before beginning. “Um… h-hi… I’m Sleipnir.”

Miss Anderson clapped her hands proudly, reassuring Sleipnir as well. “Good job, Sleipnir! Thank you!”

The little boy laughed and shot Loki a radiant grin, and it almost made the omega cry to see his son experience life as a normal child. 

For the rest of the hour, Loki watched as his son learned numbers and the alphabet, feeling nothing but pride. Sleipnir was always a bit nervous in new social situations, but after he got comfortable he was a chatterbox and got along fine with others. 

Once it became 9 am Sleipnir’s teacher clapped her hands, gathering everyone’s attention. “Parents? Thank you so much for stopping in and watching; it is now time to go. School ends at 3pm, and you can all pick up your children then. I hope each of you has a  _ wonderful _ day.”

It  _ pained _ Loki to go, but he knew that he needed to let Sleipnir learn things for himself. Forcing himself not to cry, Loki made his way over to his son, crouching down on his knees and running soothing fingers through his hair. “Alright, sweetheart… Mommy has to go. I’ll be back to pick you up at 3 o’clock.”

Sleipnir nodded, quickly kissing Loki goodbye. “Bye, Mommy!”

Hugging Sleipnir tight, Loki breathed in his son’s comforting scent before pulling away, fighting back tears. “I’ll be back by 3, sweetheart.”

“‘Kay!”

His son didn’t seem bothered in the slightest, so Loki stood up and waved goodbye at least a  _ dozen _ times before exiting the classroom. Once the door was closed and he was in the hallway he let out a shaky breath and wiped at his tears, walking quickly to his car.

He broke down when he climbed in and shut the door and immediately called Thor, wanting to speak to the alpha. Thor always helped calm him down and comforted him, so he hoped that the alpha wasn’t busy.

The phone rang a few times before Thor answered, and Loki let out a pitiful sound when the alpha answered, not even able to articulate how he was feeling.

Thor was  _ very _ concerned and began to speak, trying to figure out what was wrong. “Loki? Loki what’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do!” Wept Loki, face in his hands. “I just dropped Sleipnir off at school!”

“...Did something happen when you dropped him off at school?”

“No! But he’s going to be gone all day, five days a week!” Explained Loki, unable to see reason. “I won’t know if he’s okay! What if something happens to him?! What if the kids are mean to him, o-or he gets scared, o-or-”

“Loki…” Murmured Thor, holding back an amused laugh. “Sleipnir is going to have to learn how to protect himself and stand up for himself in social situations. School is perfect for teaching him about how to navigate life. He has to grow up and be allowed to become whoever he wants to be.”

Loki sniffed, the thought of Sleipnir growing up and not needing him anymore absolutely  _ breaking _ his heart. “I don’t want him to grow up! He’s not going to need me anymore!”

If Loki wasn’t so stressed Thor would’ve laughed gently, as it was mildly amusing seeing Loki this emotional about dropping his son off at kindergarten. Loki usually wasn’t very rational when he got emotional, but… Thor didn’t blame him for that. He and his son had been through a lot, so when it came to either one managing their emotions or expressing them in a healthy way, Thor didn’t expect too much. 

Instead, he chose to keep comforting Loki, knowing that all the omega needed was some gentle reassurance. “Sleipnir is going to be just fine, Loki. He’s always going to need you, and there will never be a day that goes by where your son isn’t going to need you. But this is a  _ good _ change for him, and it’s a good change for you. This something you’ve always wanted, right?”

“Yeah…” Murmured Loki, beginning to calm down.

“So be happy that this is actually happening. You’ve achieved the goal of Sleipnir growing up and living like a normal child. This is a good thing, right?”

Now Loki felt better, and he took in a deep breath, knowing that Thor was right. “You’re right… this is a good thing. I’ve always wanted this.”

“And after school, maybe you can take Sleipnir out to his favorite restaurant? Make today a celebration.” Suggested Thor.

This was something that Loki could do, so he nodded to himself a few times, relieved that Thor was able to comfort him. “Norns… I’m sorry. You’re probably really busy right now.”

Thor had been in an important meeting, but rushed out when he heard the omega crying, worried sick that something had happened. Of course, he was thankful that everything was okay, but he needed to go. “I’ll call you later tonight, okay?”

“Okay… thank you.”

Thor hung up and slipped his phone back into his pocket, opening the doors to the meeting room he’d come from and entering again.

He was currently meeting with his father and some important captains in the mob, so he sat back down and apologized, making sure to pay attention until the meeting was over.

When it was over he stood along with everyone else, figuring that he would go check on Loki. The omega’s GED classes started today as well, so he wanted to make sure that he was okay.

“Off to see your omega?”

Thor froze for a split second, a million and one thoughts running through his head. How the fuck did his father find out about Loki, he had been so  _ careful _ , would his father kick Loki out of the mob, or… he realized then that his father couldn’t know too much about Loki.

His father most likely smelled Loki on him, and deduced that he was seeing someone. 

Loki was still a safe secret.

He quickly turned around and faced his father, an amused smirk on his face. “And if I am?” As long as he remained calm, his father wouldn’t suspect a thing.

Odin clasped at Thor’s shoulder, shooting him a knowing look. “I’ve lost track of how many omegas you’ve been with this year, but… you’ve carried the scent of this particular omega for months now. Is it serious?”

“...We’re taking things slow.” Answered Thor, choosing his words very carefully. He didn’t want his father to find out about Loki until Loki cemented himself far enough in the mob to not be kicked out. If he had his way, his father would  _ never _ know that Loki had run away from his previous mob, and he’d be free to be with Loki for as long as he wanted.

“Taking things slow, huh?” Asked Odin, a soft smile on his face. 

Thor nodded, deciding that he could be a  _ little _ honest with his father. “I’ve never done that before… they mean a lot to me, so I want to do things right.”

This seemed to make Odin happy and the man nodded, his eyes shining hopefully. “Your mother was thinking about inviting everyone over for dinner on Sunday. Maybe you could bring them over?”

This was something Thor most  _ definitely _ wasn’t ready to do -he and Loki had only been together for about two months - so he shook his head no, feeling bad for rejecting the offer. “I’ll come, but… I’m not ready to introduce them to everyone yet.”

Odin seemed to understand though, not offended in the slightest. “Well alright… stop by and see your mother sometime this week, if you can. She misses you.”

Snorting, Thor shot his father an amused look, raising his eyebrow at the man. “I just saw her last week.”

“You know how your mother is; she gets lonely if you don’t keep her updated about your life.”

Thor’s mother was a lovely woman, and he knew his father was right. His mother always wanted to know what was happening in his life and while it could be extremely overbearing sometimes, he knew that it just meant she cared. “I’ll try and stop by, tomorrow.”

His father thanked him and waved him away, so Thor said goodbye and made his way outside, driving over to Loki’s place. He quickly had his car send Loki a message that let him know he was on the way so that the omega wouldn’t be surprised to see him.

The drive over to Loki’s place gave him a lot to think about, as he needed to determine how serious he wanted to get with Loki.

He hadn’t been in a serious relationship with anyone since Sif, and… and if he was being honest with himself, he was terrified to get that close with someone again. Getting that close meant that he could be hurt, it meant that he was traversing into the unknown, that he was being  _ vulnerable _ , but… he knew what he wanted to do.

Loki was trusting him and opening himself up and it just wouldn’t be fair if he refused to do the same. 

He decided then in that moment that he would just open up, and trust whatever ended up happening. There wasn’t a single part of him that believed that Loki would hurt him, and he knew that he wanted to at least give him and the omega a real chance.

They both deserved it.

  
**༺♥༻**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm HOPING to have the next chapter out by the end of the month, but no promises. I work full time, and I'm currently in school, and my math class is the 2nd to last class I need before I get my degree, so I'm trying to spend most of my time studying. I SUCK at math so... yeah.


	10. Deeper Connection

After arriving at Loki’s house the alpha found that Loki was still a nervous wreck about Sleipnir being at school and couldn’t help but laugh, mildly amused by the situation. He could sort of understand why Loki was this undone -the omega and his son had been attached at the hip since Sleipnir was born, and he was the only thing the omega had- so he kept his amusement to himself, wanting to help the omega feel better.

Right now he was trying to help Loki with his GED classes, as the omega was hoping to graduate by December so that he could go to college. He was really proud of Loki for choosing to better his life this way, and was more than willing to help him.

“Thor?”

Loki’s voice pulled him from his thoughts and he hummed, looking back over at Loki.

“I don’t really understand this…” Murmured Loki, showing the alpha his screen. “The teacher didn’t really explain it that well this morning during the lecture.”

Scooting closer, Thor looked at the problem, doing the mental math. He hadn’t been in school in over a decade, so everything was a bit fuzzy. “Uh… you’re trying to find “x”, right?”

“Yeah… I know I have to subtract 12 from each side, but I don’t know what to do with the remainder of the problem.”

“You would divide each side by 6, since it’s connected to the x. Dividing it by 6 helps separate it from the x.” Explained Thor. “Then, when you get x, you solve the problem to make sure that the number you got for x is right.”

Loki hummed and did what Thor said, relieved when he got the correct answer. “Norns, thank you.”

Thor was glad that Loki got it right as well and scooted close enough so that he could continue to help him, walking him through his homework so that he could successfully complete his quiz.

Once Loki completed his homework for the day he was ready for his quiz, and frowned slightly before beginning it, his mind drifting back to Sleipnir. “Norns… I hope that he’s okay. I’m so worried about him, Thor.”

“Why are you worried, Loki? He’s safe. He is surrounded by kids just like him, and he gets to make friends and learn and have a normal childhood. This is what you’ve always wanted, right?” Urged Thor, wrapping a stabilizing arm around Loki and rubbed at his side soothingly. 

“It  _ is _ ,” Began Loki, leaning into Thor and wrapping an arm around his middle. “It is what I wanted. And I’m so thankful that you came into our lives and helped this become a reality. But… I’m just worried. Sv- I-I mean Sleipnir’s father would separate us when either of us did something “bad”, and he wouldn’t let any adults come and check on Sleipnir while we were separated.”

He teared up then, only able to imagine how scared Sleipnir was each time they were forcibly separated. “He would just let him starve! And he would force me to hear his cries, and laugh when I begged him to forgive me and let me see Sleipnir. Every  _ single _ time that we’ve been apart, it’s been hell. And I just want him to be okay.”

It broke Thor’s heart to hear about this, and it made him realize that he just needed to have more patience if he was going to truly involve himself with Loki and Sleipnir. They were two incredibly broken people who would take a long time to recover from what they’d been through, and they really needed people in their lives that understood this.

“Loki… what if he  _ is _ okay? Sleipnir has been apart from you before for good reasons. He’s been to Joo Won’s house more times than we can count, right? And those were for good reasons. School will be another reason for you to be apart, but… it isn’t a bad reason.”

This was something Loki hadn’t considered, and he nodded slowly, wiping at his eyes. “...Yeah… you’re right.”

“And maybe… it would be a good idea if you started going to therapy? It would help you work through these issues, Loki. Our mob has our own system of healthcare professionals that understand what this life is like. I really think it’d be a good idea if you made an appointment.”

Loki knew that Thor was right, and he nodded again, nestling into Thor’s chest and inhaling his comforting cinnamon scent. “I know I should…”

He sat in silence with the alpha for a few more minutes before speaking again, a worried look on his face. “Are you sure you want to be with someone like me?”

“Loki-”

“I’m serious! I-I, What do I have to offer you? Where is this relationship even going to go? I-I’m 21! I-I-”

Thor pressed a warm kiss against Loki’s temple, effectively silencing him. “Loki, this relationship will go wherever we decide it will. That’s why we’re taking things slow. We’re working on ourselves, and learning how to trust people again.” He kissed Loki’s temple again, wanting to reassure the omega. “Loki, I’m with you because you make me feel alive. Your experiences, my experiences, our dark parts, that doesn’t  _ matter _ to me. All that matters is whether or not we’re happy. And I’m happy.”

Loki felt so guilty for doubting their relationship, but being comforted by the alpha really helped him calm down and just enjoy this relationship for what it was; two people learning to trust again, and deciding to trust in each other. “I’m happy, too.”

“Good. And as we get used to opening up, we’ll decide where our relationship goes, together. This is a partnership, Loki.”

Loki wondered what he did in a past life to get an alpha like Thor, and he couldn’t help but grin, hugging the alpha just a  _ little _ tighter. He wasn’t the best at showing physical affection, but he wanted to try with Thor, so he stretched up and placed a warm kiss against the alpha’s lips, a soft smile on his face. “Thank you.”

Thor smiled in return, the omega’s smile always causing his own to form. “Feeling better?”

“Yeah… I think I’ll try and finish my quiz before leaving to pick up Sleipnir.” Answered Loki, kissing Thor again before pulling away. “Thanks for coming over to comfort me. I know you were busy.”

“Of course.” Murmured Thor, shifting to stand. “I’ll be pretty busy for the next two weeks; I’m going out of state to handle some issues with the mob.”

Loki resisted the urge to pout and stood up with Thor, walking him to the door. “Okay… well… call me when you can.”

Thor could tell that Loki wasn’t happy and let out a soft laugh, pulling the omega into his arms for an embrace and a warm kiss. “I will. You and Sleipnir will be the first people that I see when I get back.”

Closing his eyes, Loki returned the alpha’s tender kiss, pulling away begrudgingly. “Please be safe.”

“I will,” Answered Thor, his thumb rubbing at Loki’s cheek affectionately. “Call me tonight and tell me how Sleipnir’s first day at school was, alright?”

Loki nodded and grinned, a large part of him happy that Thor was always so willing and ready to accept his son. “Thank you.”

The pair shared another kiss before Loki let Thor leave, and he waved goodbye before shutting the door to his apartment closed, knowing that he needed to finish his classwork for the day.

Sleipnir got out of school around 3:30, so at 3 o’clock Loki left their apartment and drove to his son’s school, counting down the  _ seconds _ until his son was in his arms again. After arriving at the school, Loki parked and made his way into the school, where there were a gaggle of parents waiting for their children as well.

It made Loki nervous to be in the crowd -a part of him was always worried about Svadilfari finding them- so he made his way to the front, wanting to be the first thing that his son saw. The bell rang a few minutes after Loki arrived, and he searched through the crowd of students, waiting for his son to appear in the masses.

“Mommy!”

Loki turned when he heard Sleipnir’s shout and grinned, running to his son and swooping him into his arms, making sure to smother his face with kisses. “Mommy missed you so much sweetheart! So so so so  _ so _ much!”

Sleipnir giggled, wrapping his arms around Loki’s neck and grinning too. “I missed you too, Mama! I had a lot of fun, and I made new friends! And I even wrote on the board!” Gushed Sleipnir, nestling into Loki as the omega walked them out of the school. “And at recess, I was the fastest! And I got to play on the monkey bars, and the slide! And I played tag!”

Loki gladly listened to his son prattle on about his first day, the relief that flushed through his body unparalleled. He strapped his son into his carseat and kissed his temple before closing the door and getting into the car, continuing to listen to his son talk about his amazing first day.

He drove them to Sleipnir’s favorite pizza parlor and ordered the small alpha’s favorite pizza, thanking the Norns that for once in their life, things were going right.

And for the first time, he had a feeling that it would continue.

**༺♥༻**

To the relief of Loki, Sleipnir enjoyed school more and more, and really enjoyed hanging out with his friends. By the time October rolled around, he’d already been invited to 5 different birthday parties, and had hosted so many sleepovers, Loki couldn’t keep track.

Sleipnir seemed to really enjoy learning something new every day as well, and was one of the top students in his class, which made Loki happier than anything. The young alpha had also stopped trying to sabotage the relationship between Loki and Thor as well, which the pair was thankful for.

On Halloween Sleipnir was invited to trick or treat with Joo Won and a few of their friends, so Thor arrived at Loki’s apartment around 5:30 in the evening, wanting to go with the pair. He and the omega had been together for almost five months, and were more secure in their relationship. Of course, neither of them were saying “I love you”, but… they were both okay with that. They were really wanting to take their time with each other, and let things happen naturally.

They saw each other when they could, and were comfortable with where things were between them right now. And although Loki had silly fantasies about he and Thor getting married, and starting a life together where he and Sleipnir would always be protected and loved, he understood that this needed to remain a fantasy. He’d  _ just _ gotten out of a marriage and didn’t want to rush into another one -especially when he was so young- so these thoughts remained in his mind for the time being.

“Come  _ on _ , Mommy! I wanna see my friends!” Griped Sleipnir, quickly unbuckling himself from his booster seat and opening the car door. 

His son’s voice pulled him from his mind, and he couldn’t help but laugh, unbuckling his seatbelt and getting out of Thor’s car. “Wait, Sleipnir. Let Mommy help you.”

Sleipnir grumbled but waited for Loki to help him out of the car, readjusting his superman costume. “Mommy, come on! I see them!”

Sleipnir had never celebrated Halloween before, so Loki was really excited to spend this day with his son and Thor. He and Thor were in a matching couple’s costume of Mario and Luigi, and he rolled his eyes and pinched at his son’s cheek before kissing him and standing, taking his hand. “I’m coming, sweetheart.”

Thor stepped out of his car and locked it, walking over to the pair and taking Loki’s other hand. “Ready to get some candy, Sleipnir?”

The little boy nodded eagerly, jumping up with excitement. “Yeah!”

“Sleipnir!” Shouted Joo Won from across the street of the neighborhood they were in, waving at his friend.

“Joo Won!” Yelled Sleipnir, his entire face lighting up when he saw his friend. He pulled Loki across the street and let go of his hand so that he could hug Joo Won, laughing with excitement. “I’m Superman!”

“I’m BatMan!” Announced Joo Won, standing back after letting Sleipnir go and showing off his costume.

Loki and Thor greeted Sleipnir’s parents Seo Yoon and Joo Weon as Sleipnir interacted with his friends, happy to see the couple. Because Sleipnir was so close to Joo Won, Loki and Seo Yoon became close as well, and Loki was happy that he at least had a friend. “Seo Yoon! Joo Weon!”

The parents hugged and exchanged greetings before letting their kids know that they could now trick-or-treat, and followed their children to the first house in the neighborhood, saying “trick-or-treat” right along with the kids.

Thor hadn’t been trick or treating since he was 9, and being with Loki and Sleipnir was very refreshing. He honestly had fun spending time with the pair, as they brought a spark to his life that made him feel alive again.

Being with Loki and Sleipnir helped him feel wanted, it helped give him a reason to get out of bed in the morning, and it kept him on his toes. He genuinely enjoyed every moment that he spent with the pair -even when Sleipnir was being a handful- and was thankful that they were brought into his life when he needed them most.

“Are you okay?”

Loki’s voice pulled him from his mind, and he looked over at the omega, gently squeezing his hand. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Asked Loki, a nervous look on his face. “I-I know this isn’t how you want to spend your free time…”

Thor shook his head quickly, bringing the back of Loki’s hand up to his lips to kiss warmly. “I wanted to do this, Loki. I enjoy spending time with you and Sleipnir.”

This put a relieved grin on Loki’s face. “You do?”

“Yes… being with you both makes me feel things that I haven’t felt in years. I love spending time with you and your son.”

Now Loki had a warm smile on his face, and he leaned over to peck Thor’s cheek, feeling what had only become a familiar warmth rising in him. “I enjoy spending time with you too, Alpha…”

This was the first time Loki had called him this, and Thor couldn’t help but grin in turn, elated that Loki was comfortable enough with their relationship to refer to him as this. He knew that Loki had been forced to call his ex-husband this, so he never called Loki “Omega”. Stirring up old, painful memories was the last thing Thor wanted to do. Instead, he rubbed at the back of Loki’s hand with his thumb and placed a warm kiss against his lips, humming softly. “May I spend the night?”

“You know you don’t have to ask,” Murmured Loki, a bashful expression on his face. “Just stay when you want to stay.”

Being this close and familiar with someone was as exciting to Thor as it was scary, as he hadn’t experienced a relationship like this since his ex-fiancee. But opening up to Loki and beginning this relationship with him helped him believe that he  _ could _ love again, and that he  _ could _ still have his happy ever after.

As they walked with Sleipnir and his friends, Thor thought seriously about his relationship with Loki, and where he wanted to take it. He really enjoyed the man and his son, and didn’t really see himself leaving the omega any time soon. He was quite tired of serial dating, and really liked what he and Loki had. Loki understood him so well, and although he was quite young, he had a certain maturity about him due to what he’d been forced to deal with in life. 

Loki was smart, he was quick on his toes, he was a calculated thinker, he was precise with his words, he was already a million and one steps ahead in his mind whenever a problem arose, he was funny, he had the most enchanting laugh,  _ and _ he looked absolutely adorable while he slept.

There were so many things about Loki that Thor appreciated, and while he wasn’t quite ready to say that he loved the omega, he was very serious about his intentions, and could definitely see himself falling in love the longer they remained together.

His parents had been pestering him to bring Loki to a family dinner, so after tossing the idea back and forth in his mind, Thor decided that he wanted to bring Loki around the people in his life that mattered most. “Loki?”

Loki turned towards him expectantly, waiting for him to speak.

“Would you and Sleipnir be willing to join my family for Thanksgiving this year?”

Loki inhaled sharply, shocked by the request. “ _ Really?” _

“Yes… my parents and friends have been dying to meet you, and I think I’m ready to bring you both around them.” Answered Thor, gently squeezing Loki’s hand as he smiled down at him.

Being invited to spend Thanksgiving with Thor and his family  _ floored  _ Loki, and he nodded hurriedly, letting out a wondrous laugh. “We would love to! I-I can’t wait to meet your friends and family!”

Relief flooded through Thor, and he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Thank you. I know my family and friends will love you.”

The children screaming snapped their attention to them, and Loki’s racing heart calmed when he saw that someone in a monster costume had just jumped out of a large bush to scare the trick-or-treaters.

Sleipnir frowned and placed himself in front of all of his friends, glaring at the man with a look that could kill. “I’m superman! I won’t let you hurt my friends!”

The “monster” pulled out a bowl of candy and offered it to Sleipnir, surprising the boy. “For your bravery, you get to pick whatever candy you want.”

This immediately wiped the frown off of Sleipnir’s face, and he snatched a full size snickers bar, showing it to Joo Won. “Look, Joo Won! I got you your favorite candy!”

The young child giggled, gratefully accepting it from Sleipnir. “Thanks Sleipnir!”

The scene touched Loki’s heart, and he ruffled his son’s hair, gesturing towards the bowl of candy. “Pick out your favorite candy, sweetheart. It’s getting late.”

Sleipnir quickly chose skittles and placed them in his bag, urging his friends to hurry and choose candy so that they could leave and go to the next house.

They’d been trick-or-treating for about 2 hours now, so Loki decided it was time for Sleipnir to leave and head home around 7. The little boy wasn’t too happy about having to leave his friends, but begrudgingly followed Loki to Thor’s car, climbing in and letting Loki strap him in.

Once they arrived back at the apartment, Loki sat down at the table with Sleipnir and poured out all of his candy, sifting through it to make sure it was safe.

“Mommy, can I eat my candy now?” Asked Sleipnir, eyeing the pile greedily. 

“Let Mommy look through it first, sweetheart,” Answered Loki, taking a few minutes to make sure that none of the candy was open or tampered with. Finally satisfied, Loki gestured for his son to pick out some candy. “Only 5 pieces, since it’s late. You can have more tomorrow.”

“But-”

“ _ No _ buts, Sleipnir. 5 pieces. If you have anymore, you won’t be able to sleep.”

Sleipnir grumbled and searched through his candy, picking five pieces of it and pulling it towards him.

“You can have more tomorrow,” Assured Loki, putting the rest of Sleipnir’s candy into a bag and tying it up. He would probably hide the candy on the top shelf of his closet where the young boy couldn’t reach. 

Once it hit 8 pm, Sleipnir was laid down to sleep, so Loki and Thor settled themselves out in the living room, with Loki sprawled out across Thor’s lap. The alpha’s thumb was rubbing lazy circles against the crest of his hip, and the pair felt relaxed in a way that had become their new normal.

Rolling over, Loki wrapped his arms around Thor’s torso and buried his face into the crook of Thor’s neck, inhaling his comforting scent of cinnamon. “I need a favor.”

Thor laughed softly, rolling onto his back and running his hands up and along Loki’s side. “What do you need?”

“A million dollars.”

Thor snorted and playfully pinched at his side, so Loki looked down at him, a soft look in his eyes. “Would you be willing to watch Sleipnir tomorrow for a few hours? I have to take an in-person exam for my GED classes, and Seo Yoon is busy.” Loki hated asking Thor to do this, but he didn’t really know anyone else that could watch the boy.

Thor was just surprised that Loki trusted him to be alone with Sleipnir -although the boy had stopped his antics, he still wasn’t very receptive to get to know Thor better- but hummed softly, agreeing. “Sure. What time?”

“7 am. Since you’re sleeping over, it should make things easy. I’ll be back by 9 and make us some breakfast.” Answered Loki, settling himself more comfortably on Thor’s chest. “He usually sleeps until 10 am on the weekends.”

“Alright,” He kissed Loki’s cheek warmly then, enjoying this moment with the omega. “Did you study for your exam?”

“Of course, Dad,” Snorted Loki, playfully pinching at Thor’s side.

Thor let out a small laugh, rolling them over until Loki was splayed out beneath them. “So I’m your father now?”

Loki smirked and raised an eyebrow at Thor. “Do you want me to call you Daddy?”

Thor couldn’t keep a straight face and began to laugh a bit harder, pressing a warm kiss against Loki’s jugular. “Do  _ you _ want to?”

“No,” Laughed Loki, closing his eyes when Thor suggestively moved his hand to his crotch. “It’s so cringy to me.”

Thor hummed and kissed Loki’s jugular again, palming at him through his pants once more. “You know what I was thinking?”

“What?” Breathed Loki, Thor’s warm kisses over his jugular making him melt into his embrace.

“That we should take off these Mario and Luigi costumes and have some fun in the shower.”

“That sounds  _ perfect _ .” Purred Loki, sitting up and pulling Thor with him. 

Thor grinned and sat up with Loki, pinching at his ass as they walked back to Loki’s room.

Loki jumped and playfully swatted away Thor’s hands, beginning to laugh when Thor pinched at him again once they were behind closed doors. “You’re terrible.”

Thor smirked and locked the door to Loki’s room, stripping off his shirt and unbuttoning his pants. “You’re about to see how terrible I am.”

Loki grinned and kicked off his pants, hurriedly taking off his shirt and meeting Thor for a heated kiss.

The pair walked backwards towards Loki’s bathroom as they made out, and Thor reached out a hand to twist the knob of the shower to turn it on before pulling off Loki’s underwear and his own. 

Loki was pinned against the wall by the alpha, and he tangled his hands in the man’s hair as they kissed each other hungrily, letting out a soft sound when the alpha’s tongue intertwined with his for a downright  _ sinful _ kiss.

They made out until steam filled the bathroom, and broke apart only to step carefully into the shower. Once inside Thor closed the shower door and pressed his body against Loki’s, playfully nipping at the shell of his ear. “Spread yourself, love.”

Loki widened his stance and bit a lower lip when Thor sank two thick digits into him, trying his best to relax while Thor prepped him. The alpha sucking softly against his jugular made it easy to fall into the pleasure Thor was giving him, and he pushed back onto Thor as he fingered him, raising on his toes when the alpha rubbed against that spot deep within, a long, drawn-out moan leaving his lips.

Thor pulled his fingers out of Loki and spun the omega around once he was sure that the omega was ready for him, picking him up and hooking his arms under his legs to hold him. The younger omega groaned when he sank down on him and wrapped his arms around his neck, gasping and closing his eyes as Thor began to move into him.

The more relaxed and comfortable Loki became, the more intense Thor allowed the sex to get, and he sucked fierce hickeys into Loki’s skin as he fucked him, enjoying being able to not have to be as gentle as he’d been making sure to be in every moment up to this one.

Loki thought for sure that he would be scared by Thor being so intense, but… he wasn’t. To be molded like this by Thor felt  _ good _ , and he just gave himself to the alpha, letting Thor manipulate his body and move him however he wanted, absolutely  _ losing _ himself in the sensation of being fucked by him.

His jaw fell open when Thor angled himself differently, and he clenched around the alpha and moaned, eyes rolling back and eyelids fluttering closed as Thor sucked at the scent gland on his neck.

Being held like this was surreal, and Loki ran his nails down Thor’s back as he felt his climax building from within, gasping as that now familiar shock ran down his spine and lit his body aflame. He felt Thor spill into him as the alpha climaxed, and he slowly relaxed as they crashed through the waves of post-coital bliss, slow kisses being shared between them.

This sex had been different, and each of them marveled at the milestone of being able to just let go, and enjoy each other.

  
  


**༺♥༻**

Loki moving out of his arms woke Thor up, and he groaned, tightening his hold on the omega. “Where are you going?”

Loki held back a laugh, gently trying to pry himself out of Thor’s hold. “I have to take my exam, Alpha.”

Groaning again, Thor begrudgingly let go of him and cracked open an eye as he slipped out of bed, watching his naked form walk across the room and bend over to open a dresser drawer. “When will you be back?”

“Around 9,” Yawned Loki, pulling on a pair of underwear. “Sleipnir should be asleep the whole time; he won’t even know I’m gone.”

Humming softly, Thor lazily watched Loki walk around the room as he got ready, and met him for a kiss when the omega came over to run soothing fingers through his hair. “Good luck on your exam, love.”

Loki’s face heated up when he was called this, and he leaned forward to meet Thor for a kiss, happy with the pet name. “Thank you. I’ll be back soon.”

Thor kissed him again before smiling softly, an unfamiliar happiness rising within him. Staring at Loki like this, and being here with him at this moment meant a lot to him, and the words were out of his mouth sooner than he’d intended to say them. “I love you.”

Loki’s jaw dropped in complete disbelief, and he let out a wondrous laugh, the look on his face causing Thor’s heart to melt. “I love you too! A-And I was too scared to say it because I wasn’t sure, but I-I do, a-and-”

The alpha cut him off with a kiss, and caressed Loki’s cheek, feeling relieved that he’d finally said it. “I’ll be here when you get back, Loki. We’ll talk then.”

“Okay,” Murmured Loki, meeting Thor for a final kiss before pulling away. “I’ll be back at 9.”

Thor watched him leave with a smile on his face, searching within himself and finding that he wasn’t upset or scared about what had just transpired. He’d been with the omega for almost 7 months, and truly believed that he was ready to take their relationship to something more serious.

Loki had been going to therapy once a week, and it really seemed to be helping, as the omega didn’t really have volatile moments of emotion anymore, and didn’t get triggered by things as easily. This in turn made it easier for Loki to trust Thor, so for that, the alpha was relieved.

Thoughts of how he wanted to progress their relationship went through his mind as he drifted in and out of sleep, and he briefly wondered if he was truly ready to deepen his relationship with Loki the same way that he had with his ex fiancee.

A piercing scream dragged him out of his thoughts though, and Thor  _ flew _ out of bed, quickly dressing and rushing to Sleipnir’s room.

The little boy was sobbing horribly in his bed and Thor panicked, trying to assess what was wrong. “Sleipnir! Sleipnir! I-It’s alright, bud, it’s alright! What’s wrong?”

Sleipnir continued to wail, crawling away from Thor when the alpha sat next to him on the bed. “I want Mommy!”

“Mommy isn’t here right now, Sleipnir… come, tell me what’s wrong.”

“I want  _ Mommy _ !” Wept the little boy, his entire face red as large tears fell from his eyes.

Thor honestly didn’t want to try and pick up the boy to hug him -he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable- so he began to release calming pheromones, trying his best to reassure the boy that everything would be okay. “Shh… it’s alright, bud. It’s okay… it was just a dream. It isn’t real. You’re safe now.”

Sleipnir continued to cry, so Thor kept up that constant barrage of calming pheromones, keeping his tone light and gentle. “You’re safe, Sleipnir… no one can hurt you.”

“D-Daddy’s gonna get me!” Wept the boy, crying into his hands. “I had a d-dream that he found me a-and Mommy, a-and we had to leave!”

The brokenness from which this boy cried broke Thor’s very soul, and he scooted closer, gently wrapping a stabilizing arm around the child. “That will never happen, Sleipnir. It was just a bad dream.”

“I-I don’t want Daddy to f-find us!”

“He won’t Sleipnir,” Assured Thor, rubbing at the boy’s back and continuing to shush him gently. “I’ll always protect you and your mother. No one will ever hurt either of you again.”

“But Daddy is mean! A-And he’s really strong!” Argued Sleipnir, looking up at Thor with more unshed tears in his eyes. “I don’t want him to hurt me or Mommy!”

“I will never let anyone hurt you or your mother, Sleipnir,” Murmured Thor, pulling the boy closer. “I have a lot of friends that care about you and Mommy, and they will never let anyone hurt you.”

Sleipnir didn’t seem to believe him, so Thor racked through his brain to figure out how to assure the boy of this. “It’s been about a year since you’ve been here… and I’ve protected you the whole time, right?”

“Yeah…”

“So trust me, Sleipnir. I love you and your mother, and I will never let anyone hurt you.”

The little boy stared at him warily, seemingly wanting to believe him, but too scared to do so. “You love me?”

“I do. You and your mother are very important to me, and I love you both.”

This made Sleipnir tear up, and he wiped at his eyes, a small whimper escaping from his throat. “Daddy never said he loved me…”

“Well you don’t need him. You have me and your mother, and that’s all you need.” Thor knew that he shouldn’t say that, but he was fairly confident he would be in Sleipnir’s life regardless of what happened between him and Loki. “I love you, and I’ll protect you. You’re safe now, bud.”

The young alpha stared off with him for a few tense seconds before beginning to relax. Wiping at his eyes, Sleipnir finally relaxed against Thor’s side, relaxing even more as the minutes passed by, and he realized that Thor wasn’t going to hurt him.

Thor was just relieved that it seemed like the young boy trusted him now, and he rubbed at his side gently, catching his attention. “Sleipnir… do you want me to hold you?”

“...I don’t want you to be mad…”

A puzzled expression was on his face then, and he stared down at the boy, confused. “Why would I be mad, Sleipnir?”

The little boy looked away nervously, unsure about things now. “Daddy got mad when I asked him to hold me…”

This hurt Thor’s heart to hear, and he tutted, lifting up the boy and placing him in his lap. “Well I’m not like him. And anytime you want me to hold you or comfort you, I will.”

Sleipnir’s eyes shined with minute hope then. “...Really?”

“Yes,” Assured the alpha, hugging the boy close. “I love you, Sleipnir. You and your mother really mean a lot to me.”

It seemed like Sleipnir was warily trusting him, and for that, he was thankful. He continued to reassure the boy that everything was okay and would continue to be okay until Sleipnir fell back asleep in his embrace, the soft rise and fall of his chest making Thor feel a bit sleepy too. He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep.

A sharp inhale woke him up, and Thor began to stir, a soft smile stretching across his face when he saw Loki. “Hey.”

Loki was beside himself with shock and teared up, unable to stop smiling. Seeing his son asleep and cradled in Thor’s embrace was such a touching moment, and he sat down quietly next to the pair, running his long, lithe fingers through his son’s raven hair. “What happened?”

“I think he had a nightmare about your ex-husband. He… woke up screaming, and when I tried to calm him down, he told me that he was scared that his father would come find you both, and take you away.” Explained Thor. 

“What did you tell him to help him calm down?”

“I told him that I loved you both, and that I would always protect you.”

This actually made Loki cry, and he bit a lower lip, wiping at his tears with a shaking hand. Finding an alpha that could love not just him, but his  _ child _ , as broken and as hurt as they were meant so  _ much _ to him, and he pulled Thor in for a hug, the relief and happiness flooding through him was unparalleled. 

Sleipnir began to stir in Thor’s arms then, and the young boy rubbed at his eyes, getting excited when he saw Loki. “Mommy!”

Loki pulled his son into his arms and kissed the boy’s temple, inhaling the little boy’s calming scent. “Mr. Thor said you had a bad dream?”

Sleipnir nodded, looking up at him with happiness in his eyes. “Yeah, but Mr. Thor helped me feel better.”

Kissing his son’s temple again, Loki hummed, still feeling overwhelming joy that Thor felt this way about them. Call him naive but… he was really thankful that Thor was in their lives. The alpha had changed it in more ways than one, and he would always be grateful to have him. “Why don’t I make us some breakfast?”

Sleipnir cheered and jumped out of his lap, so he and Thor stood, following the boy into the kitchen. “Do you have time to say for breakfast, Thor?”

“I do. I’m free until late this afternoon.” Answered Thor. “I can help make breakfast; what do you have a taste for?”

“French toast?” Suggested Loki.

“Sounds good to me,” Answered Sleipnir, copying a phrase that one of his favorite characters on TV said.

Loki rolled his eyes and ruffled his son’s hair before pulling out a skillet, and Thor grabbed some bread and eggs, getting to work.

The trio enjoyed a nice breakfast and made their way to the living room of the apartment, settling nicely onto the couch while Sleipnir played his video games.

Loki really wanted to talk about his relationship with Thor and where they would go from here, so he sat up and turned towards him, tucking his hair behind his ear. “Alpha?”

Thor hummed and turned towards him as well, waiting for him to continue.

“Did… did you mean what you said earlier?”

“I did.”

Nodding slowly, Loki looked away for a moment, mulling over what he wanted to say. “Thor… where do you see this relationship going?”

Now it was his turn to think. He exhaled softly and looked away as well, wanting to be honest. “I… don’t plan on leaving you anytime soon, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I would hope not,” Laughed Loki, an amused smirk on his face. “But I want to know where you see this going. If you love me and my son… that makes this serious. And I want to know where you plan on taking this… it would break my heart if we broke up and Sleipnir never saw you again, but… you’re not his father. I don’t want you to feel forced to be in his life, but if you’re going to tell him that you love him, I need to know your intentions.”

Thor understood what Loki was getting at, and he reached out a hand, taking Loki’s in his own. “Loki, you mean a lot to me. And Sleipnir means a lot to me, too. I don’t plan on leaving you, but… I-I don’t know. Regardless of what happens in this relationship, I do want to be there continuously for both of you.”

Loki wasn’t too satisfied with this answer and frowned. “If you’re going to tell my son that you love him, I need to know where you see this relationship going, Thor. And you said you loved me… I-I just want to know where your head is.”

Thor couldn’t blame Loki for feeling this way, and rubbed at the back of his hand with his thumb. “I enjoy being with you, Loki. I really enjoy being around you and your son, and you both make me happier than I’ve been in a long time. I want to continue to explore what we have. And maybe… maybe down the line we’ll see if we feel comfortable with a more serious form of commitment. I can definitely see us moving in together if things continue as they are.”

“Would you ever marry me?” Loki knew what Thor had been through with his ex fiancee, but he wanted to know if this was something that Thor wanted to experience with him. “I’m not saying we have to get married tomorrow, or even within the next few years. But I want to know that you’re committed to continuously exploring this with me… and I just want to know if you can even see yourself marrying someone again, and living with someone again.”

“I am committed to continuing to explore this,” Began Thor, choosing his words very carefully. “And I do believe that in the future, I would be more comfortable with the idea of getting married; I’m not against it.” He gently squeezed Loki’s hand then, not wanting him to worry. “I’m more than willing to explore this with you, and see where it can go. And if it ends with us deciding to get married, then… that isn’t something that I’d be against.”

Loki relaxed completely then, feeling much better about their relationship now. A large part of him wanted to get married again and live that dream life, and now that he had Thor, it finally seemed feasible, as naive as it was. He wasn’t expecting Thor to pop the question anytime soon, but knowing that the alpha was at least open to getting married in the future comforted him.

“Mommy?”

Loki and Thor paused in their conversation to look at the boy, who was handing out two controllers. “Mommy? Can you play with me?”

Loki looked over at Thor, getting confirmation that they would talk later. “Of course!”

Sleipnir shyly looked over at Thor next, slightly unsure of himself. “Do you wanna play, Mr. Thor?”

This was the sweetest gesture that had ever been done to him, and Thor grinned from ear to ear, gratefully accepting the controller. “Of course, bud. What game would you like to play?”

“Can we play Mario?”

“We can play whatever you want, Sleipnir.” Assured Loki, patting at a spot in between him and Thor on the couch. 

The young boy jumped up and nestled himself into Loki’s side, opening the game that he wanted them all to play.

And together the trio enjoyed the rest of their afternoon, connecting in a way that each of them had always dreamed of.

  
  
  
  


**༺♥༻**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!
> 
> So I reaaaaaaaaaaallly am trying to improve on my sex scenes. I really want them to like... have more heat, and be more intense, and not so cringy. If any of you have any helpful hints or suggestions, pleeaaaase let me know.
> 
> Thanks for reading, everyone!!!!!


	11. Understanding

༺♥༻

After Thor confessed that he loved him, their relationship deepened in a way that Loki had never experienced, but always dreamed of.

Never in his life had he ever loved someone, and when he married Svadilfari, he  _ thought _ he knew what love was. He was 16, had been abused and passed around and used his entire life, and when the alpha showed up he’d promised Loki the world.

He’d told Loki that his suffering was over, that he would love him and protect him from everyone, that he would have anything and everything he ever wanted, and Loki had been naive enough to believe him. He thought that Svadilfari was the way that he would finally receive the love he’d been craving, thought that being with the alpha would suddenly make his world right, and… and he couldn’t have been more wrong.

But with Thor… it was different. Thor didn’t force his love, and that was the main component that made Loki trust him. The alpha was very careful about how he interacted with him, he was compassionate in the most genuine of ways, and he was an overall good person, mob-related work aside.

Their relationship progression was a slow and cautious process on both ends, and Loki was so grateful for that. They had both been hurt, and were both learning how to overcome their past while growing closer as a couple. And now that they were 7 months in, Loki was admittedly smitten.

He tried his best to not show it overtly, as he didn’t want Thor to think that he had unrealistic views of their relationship. He wanted Thor to know that he  _ did _ take their relationship seriously and that he did value it.

Getting ready for Thanksgiving with Thor’s family was the highlight of the month for him, and he was as excited as he was anxious. He had never experienced a normal Thanksgiving before, so he was looking forward to spending it with Thor’s family. Of course, he was worried about them accepting him, but… he was determined to just be himself.

Sleipnir seemed to be excited too, as he prattled on and on about how much food he would eat when they got there. The young boy had never experienced a real Thanksgiving before either and had heard about what it was like from his classmates, so he was also looking forward to it.

Thor was happy to finally bring Loki around his family and friends, as he hadn’t introduced anyone to them ever since his ex-fiancee. They’d been pestering him about bringing Loki around for the longest, and now that he finally was he just hoped that his family would approve.

Pulling into the driveway of his family home, Thor parked in the long driveway, getting out of the car to open Loki and Sleipnir’s doors.

Seeing the mansion brought up painful memories for Loki, and he tried to not frown as he noticed the grandeur and security that came along with being the mob boss. The home was surrounded by a 10 foot wall, with cameras and bodyguards and grunts everywhere, and it just made Loki feel that same fear he felt when he was trapped under Svadilfari, his every move watched and reported back to the alpha.

Sleipnir seemed to be nervous too, as the young boy frowned and took Loki’s hand nervously, gripping it tightly.

“Are you guys okay?” Murmured Thor, concern in his eyes.

“We’re fine; let’s just go inside.” Sighed Loki, trying to put on a brave face.

Thor felt bad and took Loki’s hand, hoping that he didn’t invite him to do this too soon. The last thing he wanted was to make the omega nervous or uncomfortable. Walking up to the front door, Thor rang the doorbell, greeting the security guard that opened the door. “Phil.”

The security guard nodded, stepping aside so that the trio could walk through the door. The mansion had a comforting, homey feel to it, so Loki began to relax, following Thor down a hall where loud music and laughter was coming from.

Turning the corner, Thor grinned when he saw his family and friends in his parents’ large kitchen and connecting dining room, immediately calling out to them. “Hey, everyone!”

Rounds of “Thor!” left the lips of various family members and friends, and the alpha was overjoyed to see his parents approaching him. 

Frigga’s smile was as radiant as ever when she hugged her son, and she kissed his cheek before pulling away to take in Loki. “And you must be my son’s cherished omega. What is your name, dear?”

“L-Loki,” Stammered the omega, trying to not be too nervous. Everyone’s eyes were on him and his son, and he was beginning to regret coming here.

Frigga looked down at Sleipnir next, pinching his cheek affectionately. “And who is this adorable young man?”

“I-I’m Sleipnir,” Murmured the young alpha, gripping onto Loki’s hand tightly.

“Nice to meet you, Sleipnir and Loki. It warms my heart to finally see who has captivated my son’s heart,” Gushed Frigga, pulling Loki in for a warm embrace. “Now Loki, why don’t you and your brother follow me? I’ll fix your plates for you.”

“U-Uh I’m his mother, actually.” Answered Loki, trying to not sound rude. “This is my son.”

The conversation seemed to die in the room when Loki said this, and he fought against every instinct that told him to just take his son and  _ bolt _ . He  _ knew _ he shouldn’t have come, he-

“Oh, I’m sorry, dear; please forgive me.” Responded Frigga, reaching up and gently squeezing Loki’s cheek. “Let me fix plates for you and your son.”

She gestured for him to follow her, so Loki looked back nervously at Thor, before letting go of his hand and following Frigga.

The chatter in the room seemed to pick back up again, so Thor hugged his father in greeting, knowing that the man was surprised by his choice of partner. “I know, I know.”

Odin chuckled, watching his wife fix plates for Loki and his son. “How did this pairing happen? Did you pick him up from the playground?”

“Dad-”

“Or perhaps a nursery. Here I thought that you found someone that could tame you, and you’ve brought a literal  _ child _ to me. And to add insult to injury, he  _ has _ a child.” Continued Odin, shooting his son a disapproving look. “How  _ old _ is he, Thor?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” Grunted Thor, pissed at his father. He was beginning to regret bringing Loki over here, and shot the worried omega an apologetic look.

“Is he even  _ legal _ ?” Asked Odin, continuing to watch him from across the room. “Where did you even meet him?”

“He is a legal adult, we met in a diner, I saved him from a group of drunk alphas, and I love him. He already thinks that everyone is looking down on him, and it would mean the world to me if you could keep your rude opinions to yourself.” Gritted out Thor, a dark look on his face.

Odin blinked back in confusion, shocked to hear this. “You  _ love _ him? Thor-”

“Dad,  _ leave  _ it. This is exactly why I waited so long to bring him around you! Because of shit like this!”

“Watch your tone,  _ boy _ .” Grunted Odin, shooting his son a look in warning.

Thor exhaled roughly, and pinched at the bridge of his nose, counting to 10 before responding to his father. “Dad… just leave him alone. He’s been through a lot, and he was so worried that everyone would look down on him, that he almost didn’t come. If you care about me, you’ll give him a chance.”

Odin grunted again, not really committing to anything. “Are you happy?”

“ _ Very.” _

Thor and his father stared off before Odin nodded, clasping at Thor’s shoulder and squeezing it before walking away.

The alpha was pissed at his father for judging Loki, and he quickly made his way over to the omega, who had been thrust to sit in the middle of the table. Frigga and the rest of their friends and family were all asking him a million and one questions, and Thor swooped in, pulling out a chair and sitting down next to him. “Alright, everyone; leave him alone.”

“Oh  _ hush, _ sweetheart,” Tutted Frigga, swatting at Thor’s shoulder playfully. “You’ve been hiding him from us for  _ months _ . We’re just all trying to get to know him better.”

Frigga sat down next to Loki then, grabbing him and Sleipnir a few dinner rolls. “How long have you been with our Thor, Loki dear?”

“Um, a-about 7 months,” Answered Loki, looking over at Thor. “We’ve known each other for a year, though.”

“And how did you meet?”

“He saved my son and I from a few drunk alphas that were trying to assault us,” Murmured Loki, trying to not feel too nervous.

“ _ Oh _ , is he the omega you were talking about when we did the raid on-”

“Fandral!” Hissed Volstagg, narrowing his eyes at his friend.

“It’s alright; he’s in the mob.” Interrupted Hogun. “He’s been in the mob for a little over a year. I’ve been teaching him how to hack for the past few months. He’s a good guy.”

Everyone around the table and in the room seemed to let out a sigh of relief, and Volstagg let out a hearty laugh, relaxing. “It’s about time he dated a member! His last girlfriend wasn’t, and… that made things difficult.”

Loki didn’t really want to hear about Thor’s last girlfriend, so he looked around at everyone, quickly thinking of something to talk about. “I don’t really know anyone here but Thor or Hogun… would you mind introducing yourselves to me?”

Thor’s friends and family introduced themselves one by one, and continued to ask Loki questions as the evening went on, wanting to know more and more about him.

Sleipnir became restless at the table, so Loki let him run off to play with the other children present, hoping that he would enjoy himself.

When he finally got a moment to himself, Loki made his way to the kitchen of the home, pouring himself some sparkling grape juice. Although Thor’s family and friends initially seemed to be surprised by him, they warmed up to him quickly, and although their endless array of questions was a bit scary, he’d made it through.

“Loki, right?”

Loki whirled around, looking at the man that spoke to him up and down. “Uh… Fandral, right?”

“Bingo,” Laughed the man. “I figured I’d come over and say hi; Thor hasn’t introduced someone to me in quite some time.”

From what Loki knew about Thor, Fandral was one of his closest friends, so he wanted to get to know the man a little better. “Thor told me that you, Hogun, and Volstagg have been friends since you were children?”

“We have. I’ve known the big guy since I’ve been alive. My family’s been in the mob serving the head for generations, so we’re all very close.” Answered Hogun. “How did he find you, though? Thor usually goes for busty, blonde types.”

Loki tried to not feel too insecure about this, and laughed it off, making a note to talk to the alpha about this later on. “Well, our relationship works for us, and as long as we’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

Fandral snorted, a mirthful glint to his eyes. “You know, you’re more my type; tall, slender, long hair. If you ever end things with Thor, let me know. I’m sure I could make you very happy.” Teased the beta. “I-”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Growled Thor, snaking a protective arm around Loki’s waist and glaring at his friend. 

“Chill, Thor. I was just-”

“I better not catch you doing this again, Fandral.” Warned Thor. “Loki isn’t just some casual plaything. He’s my partner, and I love him, and I will beat you  _ senseless _ if you flirt with him again.”

Thor and his friend stared off before Fandral let out a nervous laugh, beginning to feel bad. “Right. I uh… didn’t know that you were that serious. I’m sorry. I just thought… you know…” He made a face then, obviously not wanting to bring up Thor’s past.

Thor knew exactly what his friend was hinting at and sighed, still pissed at the man. “Look, I-I know that it’s hard to believe but… trust me, okay? Loki means a lot to me.”

Fandral looked back and forth between the pair, obviously feeling bad about hitting on Loki now. “Right. Sorry… I’ll uh… go over there. Yeah.”

Loki watched the beta briskly walk away before he moved out of Thor’s arms, annoyed with the alpha. “You didn’t have to say that.”

“Say what?” Asked Thor, a puzzled expression on his face.

“I-I know that this life changes people, but he was just being friendly! I don’t think he was seriously trying to get with me. There was no need to threaten him.” Stated Loki, staring at Thor fiercely. 

“Loki, you don’t know him. I love the guy, but he’s a serial romantic, and I don’t feel comfortable with his “jokes”. And he knows this.” Explained Thor, not understanding why Loki was so bothered by this.

Loki shook his head, letting out a frustrated huff. “I’m an adult, Thor! I can speak to people! I-I’m not some helpless omega that doesn’t know how to get himself out of an uncomfortable situation! You don’t have to be so protective!”

“Loki, I don’t care  _ who _ it is, whether it’s my best friend, or some random person when we’re out. If someone is flirting with you, I’m  _ going _ to put a stop to it. Why wouldn’t I?”

Loki turned away then, trying to not blow this out of proportion. Thor blowing up at his friend brought back all those horrible memories of Svadilfari, and how controlling and possessive the alpha was. “I-I’m sorry. I-I need a minute.”

Thor reached out to stop him, but Loki was quicker and pulled away, rushing out of the kitchen and down an empty hallway. Thor wasn’t too keen on letting Loki leave like this, and followed him down the hallway, reaching to pull the omega back towards him. “Loki, what’s wrong? Talk to me, love.”

Loki’s lower lip wavered, and he shook his head, biting back tears. “Sorry, I-I just… my ex was possessive, and I was never allowed to speak to anyone but him, a-and he would kill people for talking to me without his permission, a-and-” He took in a shuddering breath, not wanting to think about that. “I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Sighing softly, Thor hugged Loki close, kissing gently at his temple. “I’m sorry if I reminded you of him, Loki; that wasn’t my intention. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t be yourself and have your freedom, love.”

“I-I know!” Assured Loki, wiping at his eyes. “I know… you’re a good alpha Thor, and you put up with so much bullshit when it comes to being with me. I don’t even know why you’re still here, I-”

“ _ Loki _ .” Growled Thor, cutting the omega off. “We’ve been over this. If I didn’t want to be with you, I wouldn’t be with you. And I surely wouldn’t have brought you around my family.”

Loki sniffed again, still feeling terrible. “But look at me! I’m so pathetic! Crying over something as simple as this!”

“Loki, I know you have a lot of baggage. And I’ve known that since the beginning. I’m not going to leave you just because you got triggered by something.” Assured Thor, kissing Loki’s temple again. “I love  _ you _ . Not just you when you’re happy, but you when you’re sad or hurting or mad, too. Every single aspect of you is loved by me. That’s why we’re taking this  _ slow _ . So that we can both work on ourselves, and build something healthy. Right?”

Loki nodded, beginning to feel a bit better. “Yeah…”

Thor took Loki’s face in his hands, rubbing away his tears with his thumbs. “Just talk to me when you’re bothered; I’m not perfect, Loki. I’m going to do things that might hurt you in this relationship, but it isn’t and never will be intentional. Alright?”

“Okay…” Answered Loki, closing his eyes when Thor kissed him. He felt really bad about spazzing out on the alpha, but knew that he was still working through a lot of trauma. He swore to himself that he would keep going to therapy, and that he would keep implementing what he learned, because he really wanted to remain in this relationship with Thor. He  _ loved _ the alpha, loved him so  _ much _ , and he didn’t want to be the reason that they broke up. “Thank you, Alpha…”

Thor didn’t want Loki to feel ashamed about his outburst and kissed him again, rubbing at his cheeks with his thumbs. “I love you. Everything is okay, okay?”

Loki couldn’t help but smile softly, kissing Thor back. “I love you too.”

Now that things were better, Thor took Loki’s hand and led him back into the vast kitchen and dining room of the home, spotting Frigga. His mother currently had Sleipnir in her lap and was tickling him, and seeing him getting along so well with her made his heart swell happily. “Hello, Mom.”

Frigga looked up as the pair sat down across from her on the couch in the living room, shooting them a radiating smile. “Little Sleipnir was just telling me about the spelling test he had the other day. He’s very proud of himself for passing.”

“Mrs. Frigga said that if I passed my next test, she would take me out for ice cream!” Announced Sleipnir, giggling happily.

“I hope I’m not stepping on your toes, dear,” Murmured Frigga, shooting Loki a nervous look.

Loki quickly shook his head, not wanting her to think this. “Not at all, Mrs. Frigga. It means the world to me that Sleipnir likes you so much.”

Frigga relaxed then, ruffling at Sleipnir’s hair playfully. “Aren’t you just the  _ cutest _ ?”

Sleipnir giggled again, and it meant a lot to see Frigga interacting like this with his son. It was so hard for Sleipnir to warm up to others, so to see his son being so open and friendly with Thor’s mom meant a lot. He’d also been quite worried about how he would be perceived by Thor’s parents, and was happy that Frigga seemed to be enamoured with his son.

“So Loki, tell me a bit about yourself,” Asked Frigga. “I don’t know too much about you.”

Loki let out a nervous breath, trying to figure out what to say. “Uh… I’m 21… I’m in school to get my GED, and should have it next month. I’m hoping to get into the community college near my apartment for computer science, and Hogun comes over every 2 weeks to teach me computer hacking, so I’m really hoping that I’ll be able to begin working for the mob in a few years.”

Frigga hummed thoughtfully. “How long have you been with my son?”

“We’ve been together for 7 months.”

“And what are your intentions with him?”

Thor let out an exasperated sigh. “Mom-”

Loki placed a calming hand on Thor’s thigh, not wanting him to worry. “It’s alright, Alpha.” He looked back over at Frigga then, understanding that she was just trying to look out for her son. “I want to be with Thor. And I enjoy being with him. While I would love to be married, I also understand that there’s many things we’re still healing from, from previous relationships. So I’m not looking to rush anything. I’m just enjoying the relationship we have now.”

“And how did you find out about us?” Asked Frigga, making sure to keep her tone light. 

“Um…”

“I saved him from a shitty job. He and his son were being assaulted, and I saved him. He guessed that I was mob affiliated, and asked if he could join. He and his son needed protection, and I gave it to them.” Answered Thor. He didn’t want his family to find out about Loki’s true past, or where he came from. “When we met, he didn’t know my rank. And he didn’t find out my rank until recently. He’s not with me because of that, Mom.”

Frigga stared at him tensely for a few seconds before nodding, relaxing a bit. “You do understand that mob life is forever, Loki? If you marry my son, you’re in this forever. This life is a serious commitment. And I want to make sure that you understand that.”

Loki nodded slowly, biting a lower lip and thinking carefully about his next words. “I… understand this. And I understand that if Thor and I choose to progress our relationship to that level, that I will have certain responsibilities. And while I may not be ready to bear them now, I’m confident that I will be, in the future.”

It seemed that this answer surprised Frigga, as she nodded and looked away, a pensive expression on her face. “Has… Thor been honest with you about his past?”

“...He has. We both have pasts and we’re both learning how to heal from them. We’re taking things slow, and we’re both happy with the pace things are going.” Responded Loki. 

Thor was proud of Loki for speaking to his mother about these things, as he knew that the omega was really nervous about being around his family. He really wanted them to love him, and Thor was confident that in time, they would.

Odin walked into the room then and sat down next to Frigga, obviously surprised to see how well her and Sleipnir were getting along. 

Sleipnir frowned when Odin sat down next to them and squirmed out of Frigga’s arms, running across the room to jump in Loki’s lap and hug him protectively. He narrowed his eyes in distrust at Odin, and nestled further into Loki's hold. 

Odin laughed at the display, surprised but not offended. "Looks like the little guy doesn't like me too much."

"I'm sorry," Sighed Loki, running a calming hand down his son's back. "It takes him some time to open up to alphas."

"That's alright." Odin cleared his throat then, shooting Loki a curious look. "Where are you from, Loki?" 

“...I am from upstate.” Answered Loki, careful to not reveal any information that would hint to his previous affiliation with Svadilfari’s mob. Not even Thor knew where he was from, and he would do everything in him to make sure that  _ no one _ found out where he was from.

“What made you come here?”

“I ran away from my abusive husband and rode a bus to a shelter that would accept my son and I. And… we’ve been here for about a year and a half now.” He sighed softly then, trying to not let those painful memories come back.

Odin seemed surprised that Loki had been married and sat up, furrowing his brow. “Are you legally divorced? Does your husband know where you are?”

“Dad!” Gasped Thor, getting upset with the alpha. “Why would you ask him that? That’s none of your business!”

“I’m just trying to learn more about the literal  _ child _ that you’ve brought into my home!” Answered Odin. “I’m not going to just accept a 21 year old with a checkered past  _ and _ a kid, as a partner for my son! You have a  _ legacy _ to uphold, Thor!”

“Odin…” Chastised Frigga, shooting her husband a dark look. “Leave the poor man alone.”

Thor was  _ pissed _ at his father, and shot him a dark look as well. “Dad, please stop. For just  _ one _ minute. For the first time in over a decade, I am bringing a partner over to meet the family, and for the first time in  _ years _ , I am happy! You’ve been harping me about finding someone and now that I have, you criticize me for who my heart fell for?”

Thor was very close with his father, and it really hurt him to hear how his dad was speaking about Loki. He opened his mouth to speak again and snapped it closed when his voice shook, trying his best to not get emotional about this. His parents  _ knew _ how much his relationship with his ex fiancee fucked him up, they  _ knew _ how it wrecked him for years, so it hurt him deeply to see and hear how his father felt about Loki.

It broke Loki’s heart to see Thor get emotional over this, and he quickly reached out, placing a worried hand on Thor’s chest. “Alpha?”

Thor didn’t want to be here anymore, he didn’t want Loki or Sleipnir to see him like this, and he took in a shaking breath, trying to keep it together. “Thank you for inviting us over, Mom. We’ll be leaving, now.” He stood up and took Loki’s hand, urging him to follow him.

“Thor!” Called out Frigga, standing up as well. “Son, wait!”

Thor didn’t want to hear a damn thing and walked out of the room, leading Loki and Sleipnir out of the mansion. Once they were all settled into his car, Thor drove out of the driveway and left the property, a million and one thoughts racing through his head.

He was pissed, he was upset, he was furious, he was  _ hurt _ , and he squared his jaw as he fought back his emotions, trying to not express it. The last thing he needed was for Loki to be turned off by this or get triggered by it, so the car ride home was painfully silent.

Once he dropped Loki off at his door, he moved to kiss him goodbye, wanting to be alone to process his thoughts. Loki was gripping at his sleeve, though, and Thor finally looked into his eyes, shocked by the compassion in them.

Loki didn’t want Thor to feel as if he couldn’t be himself around him, or as if he couldn’t be honest about how he was feeling. He  _ loved _ the alpha, and he wanted him to know that he could lean on and depend on him, too. “Thor… please stay.  _ Talk _ to me.”

“ _ Loki- _ ”

“ _ Please _ .”

Thor searched Loki’s gaze before finally giving in, his shoulders sagging.

Loki ushered him in and closed the door, bending down and kissing Sleipnir’s temple. “Sweetheart, Mommy needs you to play in your room for a bit. I need to talk to Mr. Thor.”

Sleipnir seemed unsure, but his trust in Loki was deep so he nodded, looking back at him and Thor for a moment before running off to his room.

Loki led Thor over to the couches in his living room then, sitting down and wrapping a stabilizing arm around Thor’s torso. “What’s running through your head, alpha?”

Taking in a deep breath, Thor pinched at the bridge of his nose, trying to make sense of his thoughts. “I’m fucking  _ pissed _ .” His voice shook when he said this, and he did his best to control his pheromones and his tone, not wanting to trigger Loki.

Loki wasn’t put off though and rubbed at Thor’s back soothingly, emitting calming pheromones. “It’s okay, alpha… don’t hold back. Just talk, and be honest. I’ve got you.”

It was that sentence that got Thor, and he laughed bitterly, beginning to tear up. “I’m just fucking  _ pissed _ , Loki! My parents  _ know _ how much my relationship with Sif fucked me up! I-I tried to kill myself when I ended things with her! I wasn’t okay! What she did fucked me  _ up _ Loki, and it took  _ years _ for me to heal from that! And they know that! My dad knows that! He’s seen me at my most broken moments, and for him to disrespect you like he did today-” 

He took in another shaking breath, wiping at his eyes. “I’m just pissed, Loki. My parents know how hard it is for me to open up to someone, and to bring someone into my life like I’ve brought you in. I-I don’t care that you’re younger than me, I don’t care that you’ve got a kid, I don’t care that you have a checkered past, none of that matters to me! I just wanted my father to be  _ happy _ for me! That after a decade of closing off my heart, I finally found someone that I feel I can love.”

His voice broke at the end of this, and he truly began to cry, hating that he was reacting so strongly. He hated that Loki was seeing this side of him, and he just wanted to hide away, and never show his face again.

Loki sensed that Thor was fighting against running, and he shifting until he sat in the man’s lap, wrapping his arms around his neck and holding him close. “It’s alright, alpha… just let it out.”

Thor moved to pull Loki into a crushing embrace beginning to cry silently into his chest. It wasn’t just his father being rude to Loki that made him cry, it was the fact that for the first time in a decade, he opened himself up again, and had been criticized for who he opened up to.

In this moment he truly felt betrayed by his father, and took in another deep breath, still trying to make sense of things. “It just hurts, omega… my father was the one that walked in on me trying to kill myself, and stopped me… he built me back up from the broken person that I was… he helped remold me into the man that I am today. And to hear how he feels about you… to hear how he feels about us in general… it hurts. It really does.”

Thor’s voice wavering with emotion made Loki tear up as well, and his heart ached deeply for the alpha. He continued to hold him close and kissed his crown, wanting him to continue to open up to him.

“It just really  _ sucks _ , Loki. I can’t win for shit.” Thor let out another bitter laugh, his heart hurting from the events of the day. “I just don’t understand why he isn’t happy for me, Loki. I-I know I overreacted, and I-I’m sorry, I-”

Loki shushed him gently, not wanting him to worry. “You didn’t overreact, Thor… I know that your father means a lot to you… and he said things today that really hurt you. And I’m sorry… but I don’t want you to feel like you can’t show these parts of yourself to me. I love  _ you _ ; even the parts that you try and hide from me. And I’m never going to look down on you or think you’re less of an alpha because you’re expressing emotion.”

Hearing these words humbled Thor in a way he’d never been humbled before, and he let out a broken sound, amazed that Loki wasn’t turned off or dismayed by his outburst.

In every relationship after Sif, he’d been living a lie. He was a shell of himself, and he never showed sides of himself that he was ashamed of. He kept it all in, kept it all together, created the fantasy that everything was okay; even when it hadn’t been.

And with Loki… with Loki he didn’t have to do that.

And that was liberating.

He hugged the omega tight for what felt like hours, still trying to make sense of the thoughts zipping around in his mind. “Thank you, love.”

Loki kissed Thor’s temple again, not wanting him to worry. “Of course. Just… tell me what I can do to help you, Thor.” He cradled Thor’s face in his hands then, staring into his deep, sea blue eyes. “I love you, and I mean it. I want you to be able to depend on me like I depend on you. We’re a team, right?” 

The omega had a soft smile on his face, and it admittedly put a soft smile on his face as well. “Yeah.” The pair shared a warm kiss, and Thor felt the weight of the world leave from him as he held Loki, feeling a million and one times better. “Thank you, Loki. For everything. It really means a lot.”

Loki hummed softly, kissing him again. “We’re a  _ team _ , alpha. I’m here for you, and you’re here for me.” He rubbed at the alpha’s cheeks affectionately, glad that he was feeling better. “And if you want to call me omega, that’s fine too…” It took a lot for him to say this, but… he wanted Thor to overwrite the memory of that word.

“Loki, you don’t-”

“I-I mean it, Thor. It would mean a lot if you called me that.”

Thor closed his eyes and kissed Loki, feeling a million and one times better than he did earlier. He’d meant it when he said he loved Loki, but… right now he felt closer to him. “Then, I’ll call you that.”

Loki smiled and kissed Thor again, relieved that the alpha had opened up to him. “I’m going to tell Sleipnir that he can come out of his room.” He climbed out of Thor’s lap and knocked on his son’s door, waiting for the boy to tell him to come in before entering. “Sweetheart, Mr. Thor and I are done talking… do you want to come out?”

“Yeah,” Answered Sleipnir, getting up and grabbing a Ken doll. “Do you think Mr. Thor wants to play barbies with me?”

“I don’t know… let’s ask him.”

Sleipnir made his way out of his bedroom, walking over to Thor. “Mr. Thor?”

Thor sat up on the couch. “Yes?”

“Do you wanna play barbies with me?”

Thor smiled down at the boy, touched that he wanted to play with him. “I would love to, bud.” The excited grin that Sleipnir shot him absolutely  _ melted _ Thor’s heart, and he stood to follow the boy and Loki into his room, sitting down in front of his large Barbie dream house, and accepting the doll that he handed him.

And together the trio played barbies with Sleipnir, every laugh helping Thor feel better.

༺♥༻

Thor ended up spending the night at his place, and when Loki woke up in the morning, he was  _ touched _ to see that Sleipnir had crawled in between them that night. He was nestled into the crook of Thor’s arm, a small fist clenched weakly into Thor’s shirt, and Loki couldn’t help but grin, quickly whipping out his phone and snapping a picture of the pair. He quickly set it as his wallpaper and moved to put it back on the nightstand, stopping when his phone began to ring.

It was an unknown number, so he frowned and climbed out of bed, walking out of the room and into the living room before answering. “Hello?”

“Hello, Loki. This is Frigga, Thor’s mother.”

Loki gasped softly, shocked that the woman was calling him. “Hello…”

“I was calling to see if you were willing to meet up with me for brunch? I would like to discuss yesterday with you.”

Regardless of how yesterday went, Loki really didn’t want Thor’s parents to continuously think less of him, so he decided that he would go and meet Frigga. “Of course… there’s a cafe under my apartment. We can meet there; I’ll text you the address.”

“Wonderful. I’ll meet you there at 11.”

Loki thanked her and ended the call, surprised that Thor’s mother wanted to meet up with him. It was still a bit early in the day -only 8am- so Loki padded back to his bedroom and climbed back into bed, slinging an arm around Sleipnir and Thor. He set an alarm for 10, and fell back asleep, only waking up when the alarm went off.

The alarm woke up Thor, and he blinked slowly a few times, surprised to see Sleipnir asleep, nestled into his chest. “Looks like the little guy climbed in with us last night.”

“Yeah… I snapped a picture of the both of you earlier,” Murmured Lok, running loving fingers through Sleipnir’s raven hair. 

“You’ll have to send it to me.” Yawned Thor, trying to stay still and not wake up the young alpha.

Loki sat up in bed and ran an anxious hand through his hair, a bit nervous to tell Thor about his phone call with his mother. “Um… your mother called me earlier.”

“...She did?”

“She wants me to meet her in the cafe downstairs for brunch in an hour.” Explained Loki. “I told her I would meet with her.”

Thor was surprised that his mother was asking to meet with Loki and shot him a puzzled look. “How do you feel about meeting her again?”

“I… feel nervous. But you mean a lot to me, and I want your family and friends to like me, so whatever I have to do to show them that I have good intentions, then I will.” Answered Loki. “How do you feel about me meeting with her?”

“I’m surprised, but it does mean a lot that you’re still willing to meet with her.”

Loki leaned over and kissed Thor’s temple, a soft hum leaving his throat. “Of course.”

“I’ll watch the little guy while you’re out at brunch. I suppose my mother will want to speak to me after she speaks to you, and I have some business to attend to in a few hours, so I guess this is goodbye.” Sighed Thor.

A tinge of sadness always crept up in Loki whenever he and Thor separated, and he tried his best not to frown, secretly wishing that Thor didn’t have to leave, and could just come back home to him instead. “Alright… well… I’ll get dressed then. Thank you for watching Sleipnir.”

Thor nodded, stretching to meet Loki for a kiss. He could tell the omega was sad about him leaving, and he was admittedly sad about having to part from him as well. “Of course.”

Loki went about the room getting dressed and ready for brunch, and did his best to look neat and put together, as he wanted to make a good impression. Once he was ready he sat down next to Thor and Sleipnir, gently tickling his son’s side. “Sleipnir…. Wake up.”

The little boy’s face scrunched in a frown, and he curled up, pulling more of the blanket in on himself. “Mmm…”

“Sleipnir… you have to wake up. Mommy is leaving for a bit.”

The young alpha woke up then, not happy about this. “Nooooo! Take me with you!”

Loki snorted when the sleepy child crawled into his lap, picking him up and kissing him. “Mommy’s just going out for a moment. I’ll be back in an hour.”

“Promise?”

“Yes, sweetheart. Mr. Thor is going to watch you while I’m away.”

Sleipnir looked over at the alpha, debating about it for some time. He sighed when he realized that Loki wasn’t going to change his mind though and hugged him, kissing him back. “Okay… well, have fun.”

Laughing softly, Loki hugged his son close, inhaling his comforting scent and covering him in his own before setting him back on the bed. “I’ll be back in an hour, you two.”

The pair waved goodbye, so Loki left the room and the apartment, heading downstairs to the cafe. He sat down at the table and ordered a cappuccino, sipping at it and waiting for Thor’s mother to arrive.

The woman entered the cafe right at 11, her eyes lighting up when she saw Loki. “Loki, dear! I hope I didn’t keep you waiting.”

Loki shook his head, standing to greet the woman. “Not at all, Mrs. Frigga.” He kissed her cheek politely before sitting back down, waiting for her to finish ordering before looking over at her expectantly.

Frigga waited for the waiter to walk away before sighing, a pained look in her eyes. “Dear… I’m sorry about yesterday. My husband and I were terribly cruel… you didn’t deserve to be interrogated like that.”

“...I understand that you love your son, Mrs. Frigga. And I understand that he’s been hurt before, and you’re wanting to protect him from being hurt again.” Answered Loki, choosing his words carefully. “And to everyone else, I understand how us being together looks…  _ weird _ .”

Frigga raised an amused eyebrow up at him, then. “Weird? Yes… let’s go with that.” She thanked the waiter when he returned to hand her the drink she ordered, and sipped at it before continuing. “I’m struggling to understand what drew you two together. You’re a 21 year old single mother, and while I am not judging you for this, I am hesitant to accept a 21 year old single mother as a partner for my son, who brings  _ much _ more to the table than you bring to him.”

Loki made a face at this, completely offended. “Ma’am. I understand that your son has been broken before. And I understand that you don’t want it to happen again. But you know  _ nothing _ about me, you know  _ nothing _ about my past, and you don’t know  _ what _ it took me to get to where I am today. I told Thor from the very beginning that I didn’t need him, and that I was with him because I loved  _ him _ ;  _ not _ because of what he could do for me.”

Frigga blinked back in surprise, opening her mouth to speak. “I-”

“If you could walk a single  _ inch _ in my shoes, I can guarantee that you would not be staring at me judgmentally like you are now. I don’t need your son, and he is in my life because I  _ want _ him there. I don’t need his money, I don’t need his rank, I don’t need  _ any _ of that. I’ve gotten by  _ just _ fine, and I will continue to do so, with or without your son.”

He was over trying to play nice, as he refused to let someone that didn’t even know him, disrespect him.

The pair stared off with each other for a few tense seconds before Frigga laughed softly, awe in her eyes. “There aren’t too many people alive that would talk to a boss’s wife like that.”

Loki set down his cup harshly, extremely annoyed with the flow of the conversation. “What are you going to do? Kill me? Kill my son? I’ve gotten us this far in life, and I’m not stopping because some stuck up mob wife is attempting to shove me into a box that I don’t belong in.”

Frigga laughed again, sipping at her drink. “Is that so?”

Loki didn’t say anything, and just stared at her, wondering what her next words would be.

Sipping at her drink again, Frigga set her cup down on the table, staring at Loki in amusement. “You remind me of someone, Loki.”

“...Who?”

“Myself.”

Loki widened his eyes in surprise, shooting the omega woman a wary look. “...Really?”

“Yes, dear. It seems that you and I are more similar than I originally thought.” Loki didn’t say anything, so Frigga sighed, beginning to open up.“I… grew up as the youngest of 12 children. My parents were both addicts, and when I was 6, they sold me and 3 of my sisters, to fuel their addiction.”

“I was sold to an underground brothel, and “worked” there until I was 18. And the  _ day _ I turned 18, I decided that life just wasn’t for me… I ran from my brothel, and decided that I would jump into oncoming traffic. And I did. And I woke up in the hospital, with a  _ really _ angry mob boss by my side.”

Frigga laughed softly then, the memories coming back. “Odin ended up helping me. And it took a long time for me to trust him, and open up. And it took even longer for me to believe that he wouldn’t hurt me. With the help of the Asgardian mob, I made something of myself. I didn’t choose to end up with Thor’s father because of what he  _ could _ do for me; I ended up with him because of who he showed himself to be. And… I believe that it is the same for you and my son.”

She finally met his gaze, then, obvious guilt in her eyes. “Am I right?”

Loki bit a lower lip, understanding that Frigga understood more of his pain than he originally thought. “Mrs. Frigga… I’m not here to hurt your son. And I’m not here to break his heart. I just love him. And I just want to be with him. If that’s as friends, as lovers, or as partners, as long as I’m able to have him in my life, I’ll be okay. And even if we broke up tomorrow and he never wanted to see me again, I would just be happy that I got to experience the love and kindness that I’ve experienced from him.”

There was a pain in his voice that he couldn’t hide, and Loki knew that Frigga picked up on it, as her gaze softened significantly. Reaching across the table, Frigga took his hand, surprising him with the affectionate act. “I’m sorry, Loki. Let’s start over. Your boy is lovely, and so are you, and I am happy that my son has found someone as strong as you.”

It was really hard for Loki to open up and trust people, but after hearing Frigga’s story, there was something in him that told him that he could trust her. So he decided he would. “I-I accept your apology. And… and thank you.”

Frigga squeezed his hand gently and let go, a relieved smile on her face. “Would you mind if I said hello to Sleipnir? He’s just the most  _ adorable _ boy.”

“Sure, I don’t mind. Our apartment is upstairs.”

He and Frigga paid for their drinks and left to head upstairs, with Loki opening the door to his apartment. From the smell wafting throughout his apartment, Loki figured Thor was making all of them breakfast, and he gestured for Frigga to sit down in the living room before heading into the kitchen, his heart melting when he saw Thor helping Sleipnir pour the batter for blueberry pancakes into a skillet. “Hey guys.”

The alphas turned to look at Loki, each of them smiling. Sleipnir squirmed to get out of Thor’s arms and ran over to Loki once he was free, wrapping his arms around his waist and grinning up at him. “Hi Mommy! Me and Mr. Thor are making pancakes, and they have smiley faces!”

Loki smiled at his son, running loving fingers through his hair. “Do they, now?”

“Uh-huh! Mr. Thor even helped me make bacon! I made a  _ lot _ ! And we even made baby pancakes for the barbies!” Rambled Sleipnir, letting go of Loki and running back over to Thor so that he could help Thor plate the pancakes. 

Loki met Thor for a quick kiss, a gentle hand on his back. “Your mother is in the living room.”

Thor hummed, setting down the plate of pancakes on a counter. “May you invite her to eat breakfast with us?”

“Of course,” Answered Loki, turning to walk to the living room. “Mrs. Frigga… would you be willing to join us for breakfast?”

Thor’s mother nodded quickly, standing up. “I would love to. Thank you, Loki dear.”

Loki led her to the dining room of the apartment, gesturing for her to sit. “Would you like some water?”

Frigga nodded, an appreciative smile on her face. “Yes, please.”

Sleipnir’s entire face lit up when he walked into the dining room and saw Frigga, and he began to laugh, immediately running over and jumping into her arms. “Mrs. Frigga!”

Letting out a hearty laugh, Frigga crouched low and hugged the young alpha, kissing his adorable cheeks. “How are you, sweet child?”

“Me and Mr. Thor made pancakes! Do you want some? They have smiley faces on them!”

“I would  _ love _ some pancakes, sweetheart.” Answered Frigga, letting go of Sleipnir. “You’re such a good boy for helping Thor cook breakfast.”

Sleipnir beamed at the praise, scrambling to sit down at the table next to her.

Thor and Loki brought out enough plates for everyone, and fixed plates for Sleipnir and Frigga, before finally fixing their own plates.

Having a family meal like this was really eye opening for Thor, and he looked at his mother interacting with Loki and Sleipnir in pride, feeling genuine joy. He’d always imagined a life like this with his ex fiancee, but… he never got it. And now, he had that life with Loki.

And he didn’t want that life to end.

Maybe… maybe it was time for him to take things to the next level.

Because he deserved to be happy, too.

  
༺♥༻


	12. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a lovely, fluff filled chapter for you all today :3
> 
> I hope you enjoy it just as much as we did :D

**༺♥༻**

After Frigga’s apology, something really… _ weird _ happened and it was something that Loki had never really experienced before.

He’d known that Thor’s mother was very involved in every aspect of the alpha’s life, but now that he’d met her, it’d seemed that the omega had fluidly inserted herself into their lives as well.

In the span of a month, Frigga had made it so that she saw Sleipnir twice a week, she came over every Sunday morning and cooked breakfast for him and Loki, and she would send Loki messages throughout each day, checking on him or asking him if he wanted her to come by and cook dinner or “tidy up” while he was studying.

At first Loki was a  _ bit _ unnerved by it, but as the weeks passed he got used to it, and on some level he understood why Thor’s mother was like this. He knew that Frigga grew up very similar to him, in that she had no one that loved her or cared for her, so he figured in her mind, she was set on making sure that everyone in her life knew that they were loved and appreciated by her.

It was weird for him if only because he’d never been looked after or cared about like this by a maternal figure before, and when the holidays rolled around, he found that he and Sleipnir were getting very close with the woman.

Sleipnir had even taken to calling her “Nanna Frigga” -Loki was a bit worried about this, but Frigga didn’t mind, so he let him call her this- and was absolutely enamoured with her.

It really meant a lot to Thor to see his mother extending her love to Loki and Sleipnir, and just reinforced in his head that he wanted to deepen his relationship with Loki and progress it. And while he didn’t have his father’s approval, he did get an apology from his father, so he knew at the very least, Odin was trying.

Loki’s birthday happened to fall on Christmas, and while Thor initially teased him about this, his birthday seemed to be connected to a bad memory, so he learned not to ask about it.

He was determined to make this the best Christmas/birthday that Loki had ever had, and the first phase of his plan went into motion a week before the holiday.

Sleipnir was already out of school for the holidays and driving Loki insane now that they were stuck at home all day together, so Thor figured he would take Sleipnir out and give the omega a break and some peace and quiet so that he could study for his GED exam.

He was taking Sleipnir out Christmas shopping today, and wanted to get some nice things for Loki. He and the little boy were getting along  _ much _ better now, and Sleipnir seemed to enjoy being around him - _ sometimes _ \- so for that, Thor was thankful.

Unstrapping Sleipnir from his carseat, Thor helped the young alpha out of the car, closing the door and taking his hand. “Ready, bud?”

“Yeah!” Grinned Sleipnir, beginning to jump along in the snow instead of walking. 

The child wasn’t hurting anyone by hopping, so Thor just let him hop all the way to the mall’s entrance, readjusting the little boy’s scarf once they entered the building. “Alright, bud. Where do you want to go first?”

“I want a new videogame,” Answered Sleipnir, looking around in awe. “Can I ride the train?”

Thor looked at where Sleipnir was pointing, seeing that there was a train on the downstairs level that looped around the entire lower level of the mall. “Hm… How about we buy a few things for Mommy, and then when we’re done, we’ll ride the train, and if you’re good we’ll stop at the video game store before leaving?” Suggested Thor.

“‘Kay!” Agreed Sleipnir, beginning to hum one of his favorite songs. “Mommy doesn’t like his birthday. He always gets sad on Christmas.”

“Well… why don’t we buy Mommy some nice things from the heart, that way he can be happy? What makes Mommy happy?”

Sleipnir frowned, beginning to think seriously. “Mommy gets happy when I draw him something!”

Thor hummed softly, beginning to think. There was an arts and crafts store in the mall that let you personalize items with whatever you wanted, and he believed that Loki would appreciate it if he got something handmade from the boy. “Why don’t you make something for Mommy? Do you think he’d like that?”

“Yeah!” Grinned Sleipnir, getting happy all over again. “I’m gonna write that he’s the best Mommy ever! And that I love him! A lot a lot!”

Thor laughed softly, touched by the gesture. “I think Mommy would love that.”

The pair walked to the arts and craft store in the mall and were able to sit down at a workstation together. Sleipnir wanted to engrave and paint on a few mugs for Loki, as the omega loved to drink tea or coffee in the morning.

Thor went to grab a few  _ very _ nice -and expensive- mugs, and sat back down with Sleipnir, gesturing for an attendant to come over and give them some paint.

“Hi! Welcome to Personal Touch! I’m Amanda; can I get you both started with some paint? I see you’ve already picked out some mugs.” Greeted the attendant.

“Thank you. May we also get one of the photo blankets?” Asked Thor.

“Sure thing! Those  _ are _ a bit more expensive, depending on the size, and how many personalizations you want on the blanket. Our pricing booklet is on the table in front of you, so when you decide on the package you want, just call me over.”

Thor thanked her again and helped Sleipnir get started with painting before looking through the pricing guide. He wanted to get Loki a blanket that had Sleipnir’s hand drawn picture on it, and decided on a nice-sized throw blanket that would come out to $199. It  _ was _ pricey, but Loki was worth it, and Thor had more than enough money to do something like this.

He called the attendant back over and pulled out a drawing that Sleipnir made last night, handing it to her. “Can you make a blanket out of this drawing?”

The attendant took it in her hands, nodding. “Of course. Now it  _ will _ take about an hour to make. Is that okay?”

Thor nodded, expecting as much. “That’s fine.”

The attendant looked over the picture before walking away with it, a warm look in her eyes. “Aw, your wife will love this. Your son’s picture is so cute.”

Thor thanked her, picking up an unpainted mug in his hands and beginning to think. Although it was too soon to propose -at least in his eyes- he wanted to give something to Loki besides the grand gift he had in mind.

“Mr. Thor?”

Thor looked up, staring at the young boy expectantly. “Hm?”

“Are you gonna marry Mommy?”

“Uh… do you want me to marry Mommy?”

Sleipnir continued to paint on the mug, an adorably pensive expression on his face. “If it made Mommy happy.”

This was the  _ sweetest _ thing Thor had heard from the boy in a long time, and he smiled softly, touched by it. “What about you? Would you be happy if I married your mother?”

“I don’t know,” Answered the boy, shrugging his shoulders. “If you married Mommy, would you be my new daddy?”

“I would. Would that make you sad?”

“No. You’re nice, and you love me, so I’d be happy if you were my new daddy,” Confessed Sleipnir, continuing to paint. “Then, me and Mommy would never be sad, ever again. Plus, I can have a new baby brother or sister! And then I can play with them, and teach them things, and protect them too!”

Sleipnir’s outlook on this really touched Thor’s heart, and he remained silent for some time, realizing that he wanted those things with Loki and Sleipnir, too.

“Would it make you happy if we all lived together?”

“Yeah!” Giggled Sleipnir. “Are you gonna marry Mommy?”

“I don’t know, bud.” Confessed Thor. “But I love you, and your mother. And I want to stay with you all forever.”

This put a faint blush on Sleipnir’s face, and he stopped painting, looking up at Thor in wonder. “Really?”

“Really,” Assured Thor, reaching out to ruffle the boy’s hair. “I was looking at houses for us, and I found one that I think you and Mommy would like. Do you want to come look at it with me after we leave?”

The  _ biggest _ grin spread across Sleipnir’s face, and he nodded, getting really excited. “Yeah!”

Thor pinched at the boy’s cheek affectionately before pulling away, beginning to think about what he would do. He knew that he and Loki were  _ not _ ready to get married, but he also knew that he wasn’t leaving the omega unless the omega wanted him to.

“Mr. Thor?”

“Hm?”

“If you marry Mommy, and become my new daddy, do I have to wait till you marry Mommy before I can call you daddy?”

Thor hummed softly, not really knowing how to answer this. “I-I don’t know bud; that’s a good question. Do you want to call me daddy?”

Sleipnir quickly shook his head, continuing to paint. “No. I’d call you Papa! ‘Cuz daddies are mean and evil, and Papas are nice and love people, and since you love me and you’re nice to me, you’re a papa.”

The child’s logic was adorable -if not a bit heartbreaking- and Thor hummed, thinking about this. “Do you want to call me “Papa” now?”

“Sometimes,” Confessed the boy, putting the finishing touches onto his paintings.

Thor figured he would talk to Loki about this and their relationship a bit more when they returned home, so he tucked this information into the back of his mind for later, enjoying the time he was spending with the boy.

After Sleipnir finished painting all the mugs, they gave them to the attendant so that they could be glazed over, and were told that they would be ready in an hour, so they left the store and headed downstairs to ride the train that Sleipnir wanted to ride, with Thor doing his best to cram into a tiny train car and settling the young boy in his lap. “Ready?”

Sleipnir nodded in excitement, clapping his hands happily when the train started and whistled, beginning their journey around the lower level of the mall.

“Mr. Thor?”

“Yeah, bud?”

“If you marry Mommy, when will I have a new baby brother or sister?”

Thor pursed his lips, not really knowing how to answer this. “Uh… I don’t know, bud. It’s really up to your mother.”

“I’m gonna ask him to have a baby brother or sister when I get home.” Stated Sleipnir. “Mommy said that the Norns answer our prayers, so I’m gonna pray  _ really _ hard for a new baby brother or sister.”

“Uh… why don’t we take things slow, Sleipnir? How about we move into our new house, and then after we get used to that, Mommy and I will talk about getting married.”

“And then you’ll have a baby?” Questioned Sleipnir, not letting up on the subject.

Thor let out a nervous laugh, running a hand through his golden hair. “We’ll see, bud. Babies are a  _ big _ responsibility.”

“I know! My friend’s mom had a baby, and he said that he gets to help her all the time, so if you and Mommy have a baby, I’ll help!”

Sleipnir had  _ such _ a determined look in his eyes, and Thor couldn’t help but be awed, ruffling the little boy’s hair. “Let’s wait a bit on the baby, Sleipnir. Mommy wants to go back to school, and it’s really hard to do that with a baby.”

This didn’t deter the boy in the slightest though. “Yeah, that’s why I said I’ll help. When Mommy goes to college, I’ll watch my baby brother or sister for him.”

“Sleipnir,” Laughed Thor, pinching at the young alpha’s side. “It’s not that simple.”

“How come?”

“Because having a baby… is life-changing. And it’s a big commitment. How about we focus on living together first,  _ then _ we’ll talk to Mommy and see if he wants to get married, and after we’ve lived as a family for sometime, we’ll talk about having a baby. Sounds like a plan?”

Sleipnir obviously wasn’t happy about this but understood that this was the best he was going to get. “Okay…”

The pair continued to ride the train, and Sleipnir pointed out various things to him, like pictures of his favorite tv character, or a person with a funny hat, and Thor just enjoyed his time with the young alpha, connecting with him in a way that really made him happy.

After riding around the mall and walking around a toy store, Thor and Sleipnir made their way back to the arts and crafts store, picking up and paying for their items. Thor made sure to stop in and get Sleipnir a video game since he was good today, and buckled him into his carseat once they made it to the car, getting in and driving him over to the neighborhood that he was thinking about buying the house in.

It was a  _ very _ secure and gated community, and it was their almost impenetrable security that made this neighborhood so attractive to Thor. Because they were in the mob, he wanted to live somewhere safe, and live somewhere where he wouldn’t have to worry about Loki and Sleipnir’s safety when he left for work.

The home was big, bigger than his penthouse, but it was very nice, and built in a modern style. It was various colors of gray and white, and when Thor saw it for the first time he’d known that this was the perfect place for them. It was also near a better school as well, which Thor knew was important for Loki and Sleipnir.

He parked in the driveway of the house, looking in the rearview mirror at Sleipnir. “What do you think, bud? Do you like it?”

Sleipnir’s jaw dropped, and he stared at the house, inhaling slowly. “Whoa…”

Thor chuckled to himself, amused by this. “Do you think you and Mommy would like to live here?”

“Yeah!” Shouted Sleipnir, pumping his fist in the air. “It looks  _ cool _ !”

Thor snorted, remaining here for a few more seconds before leaving the property. He hadn’t bought the home yet, but was heavily leaning towards doing so now that he’d gotten a chance to speak things over with Sleipnir, and saw how the child viewed their current situation. 

On the way home Thor got a call from Loki, so he answered it via bluetooth, turning up the volume of the call. “Hi, Loki.”

“Mommy!” Shouted Sleipnir, getting happy. “Mommy, me and Mr. Thor bought-”

“Lots of things that are a  _ surprise _ ; right, Sleipnir?” Interrupted Thor, looking at the boy for a moment in the rearview mirror. 

Sleipnir gasped, smacking his hand over his mouth. “Oops! Sorry, Mr. Thor!”

Loki laughed at the interaction, obviously happy that the two were having fun. “Looks like you’re both getting along well.”

“We had fun today,” Answered Thor. “We’ll be home in 20 minutes.”

“Did you both eat?” Asked Loki. “I was sort of hoping we could go out to celebrate.”

“ _ Oh? _ ”

Loki laughed again, beside himself with pride. “I passed my GED exams!”

Thor and Sleipnir cheered for him, both of them extremely proud of the omega. “We can go wherever you want, Loki.”

“Great; I’ll see you both when you get home.”

Thor smiled softly, loving the feeling that radiated in him when Loki said “home”. “Bye, Loki.”

“Bye, Mommy!” Shouted Sleipnir. “I love you! A lot a lot!”

Thor could almost see the sweet smile on Loki’s face when he heard this. “Mommy loves you too, sweetheart.” He ended the call then, and continued to drive back to Loki’s apartment, feeling quite happy with the day he’d had.

He and Sleipnir arrived back at the apartment, where Loki was waiting outside for them. Thor honked the horn playfully to get Loki’s attention and grinned at the omega when he waved, reaching over to open the door for him. “Hey.”

Loki sat down in his seat and met him for a quick kiss, humming against his lips. “Hey.” He reached back into the back seat to kiss Sleipnir next, happy to see his son. “Hi, sweetheart.”

Sleipnir happily returned his kiss, beginning to talk about his day. “Mommy! Mr. Thor showed me a house, and-”

“And we saw  _ a lot _ of houses today, and we have  _ secrets _ , right, Sleipnir?” Interrupted Thor, raising an eyebrow at the boy. 

Sleipnir widened his eyes, shocked that he almost gave away the secret again. “Oops! Sorry Mommy, it’s a secret! Mr. Thor said I can’t tell you, cuz it’s supposed to be a surprise!”

Loki snorted, looking over at Thor in amusement. “A secret?”

“That’s right; an alpha secret. Right, bud?”

“Yeah! Sorry Mommy, it’s an alpha secret!”

“Yeah, alphas only,” Laughed Thor, shooting Loki a playful wink.

Loki rolled his eyes in amusement and put on his seatbelt, unable to stop smiling. He was  _ so _ happy that Thor and Sleipnir were  _ finally _ getting along, and he was even happier that he passed his GED exams and could now go to college. “I’m so excited, alpha! I’ve always wanted to go to college.”

Thor hummed softly, driving back onto the main road. “I know you said that you wanted to go to the community college near your apartment, but… have you considered going to the university in the city? They have a really good Computer Sciences program.”

Biting a lower lip, Loki looked away, obviously torn about the issue. “It’s a 30 minute drive from my apartment to the university. I don’t want to be that far away from Sleipnir.”

The home that he was going to buy for them was  _ very _ close to the university in this city, and it was in a wonderful public school system, which Thor knew the omega would love. “Well, I wouldn’t worry about that.”

Loki raised an eyebrow at the man. “Why?”

“Just trust me, omega. Apply for the university, and see if you can get in.” The last thing he needed was Loki finding out about his plans. 

Loki didn’t know what Thor was getting at, but knew that the alpha has something up his sleeve. “Well, alright… I’ll apply to the university, then.” He relaxed into his seat, looking out of the window. “Can we go to Marcela? I haven’t had their pasta in awhile, and I want to celebrate there.”

“Sure,” Answered Thor, changing lanes and getting into the lane that would take him on the highway. “Anything you want to do after?”

“Um… I was hoping we could stop by a store and get some Christmas decorations for the apartment.”

Thor didn’t mind this in the slightest and nodded, agreeing with him. “That’d be nice. Want to buy a tree, too?”

A big grin spread across Loki’s face, and he blushed slightly, awed that Thor was willing to do this as well. “You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all, love. We’ll stop by a Christmas tree farm on the way home and pick out a tree for the apartment.”

Loki honestly felt  _ so _ thankful to have someone like Thor in his life, and he couldn’t help but continue to smile, thanking the Norns that things were  _ finally _ going right.

The trio talked about miscellaneous things as they drove, and enjoyed themselves throughout their meal, enjoying being together. Sleipnir was  _ so _ excited while they picked out their Christmas tree for the year, and while he did, Loki tried his best to not let bitter memories bleed through into the moment.

When they finally arrived at the apartment and set down their things, Loki smiled when he saw Thor set up the tree in its stand, and began to unwrap the decorations for the tree, holding a golden orb in his hands and closing his eyes.

It was so hard to not remember… the closer it got to that day, the easier it was to recall.

He’d been 15, and had just experienced his first heat the previous month.

For some reason, he thought that he would find the alpha of his dreams, and be swept off of his feet, off into some magical fantasy where someone would finally love him.

His mother had been jittery since his heat started, and always stopped talking to his father when he entered the room, which worried him. His parents were both addicts, and living with them was something that he was looking forward to not having to do once he turned 18.

Waking up Christmas morning started just like any other day in his household, and he remained in bed for as long as he could, not wanting to leave and risk being hit or yelled at by one of his parents in a drug-laced rage.

His bedroom door had burst open around 10 that morning, and he inhaled sharply when he saw three strange alphas stalk over to him, grabbing at him and holding him down on the bed. He screamed for his parents and fought against the alphas, his heart pounding in his chest in fear.

Another alpha in a suit entered the room with Loki’s parents then and looked down at him, regarding him with curious eyes. “You said he’s a virgin?”

Loki’s mother nodded eagerly, flicking his eyes over to his son. “Yes, yes he had his first heat last month.”

“Mom!” Screamed Loki, continuing to fight against the alphas holding him down. “Mom, what the fuck is going on?”

The alpha standing next to his parents laughed, his gaze predatory as he looked the young omega up and down. “I see he’s got a mouth on him; some of our patrons like that.”

“Yes, he’s always been like that. If you beat him enough, he does whatever you tell him to, though,” Assured his mother, practically vibrating with anxiousness. “You said you’d give us 30k for him right?”

Loki’s heart  _ dropped _ when he heard this, and he looked over at his parents, who wouldn’t even return his gaze. “M-Mom! Dad! You can’t be serious! Are you  _ selling _ me?”

Neither of his parents would look him in the eyes, and he let out a broken sound when his shorts were yanked off of him, the alpha at the foot of his bed roughly inserting a finger into him.

“I see he’s still intact.” He pulled out his finger and inhaled the scent, laughing again. “He smells like warm honey; that’s rare.”

Loki’s father grinned, just as anxious as his mother. “Does that mean you’ll give us extra?”

The alpha nodded, exhaling slowly and rethinking his offer. “45k for the boy; what do you think?”

“Deal!” Hissed his parents, not even sparing their son a glance. “Where’s the money?”

The alpha snapped, ordering one of his men to let go of Loki and hand his parents a duffel bag full of money. “That’s 20k; you’ll get the rest after we’ve had him professionally examined.”

Loki’s parents jumped on the money like crazed wolves on an injured animal, practically salivating on the cash that they had in their possession.

“If you have any other omega children, call me. Your son’s got a beautiful face; I’m sure he’ll get me a nice paycheck from my boss.” He snapped his fingers then, turning around. “Inject him.”

Loki screamed when one of the alphas holding him down produced a syringe and needle, and he broke down sobbing when he was shot with it, begging his parents with his final moments of consciousness to not do this.

And just like that, he had been sold on Christmas morning to his first pimp.

“Mommy?”

Loki’s attention snapped back to the present moment at hand, and he realized that he had the Christmas decoration clenched so hard in his hand that it was cracked, tears pooling in his eyes. He quickly wiped at his tears and laughed, trying to put on a brave face for his son. “I-I’m alright, sweetie. Mommy’s okay.”

Sleipnir looked impossibly sad and climbed on the couch to sit in Loki’s lap and pulled him into a hug. “No you’re not, Mommy…”

Now the tears were pouring, and Loki hugged his son tightly just as he had every Christmas since he’s been born, trying to not break down, and failing  _ terribly _ .

Sleipnir just shushed him gently and continued to rub at Loki’s back, calming pheromones pouring from the child. “It’s okay, Mommy… it’s okay.”

Thor was next to him and murmuring comforting words in his ear as well, pulling both the omega and his son into his arms for a warm embrace. “It’s alright, love. We’re making a new memory, right? This is a good memory.”

Loki continued to weep, absolutely  _ hating _ himself for breaking down like this in front of his son.  _ He _ was the parent,  _ he _ was the one that was supposed to reassure Sleipnir and wipe away his tears, not the other way around. “I’m sorry, Sleipnir.”

Sleipnir shook his head fiercely, planting kiss upon kiss on Loki’s tear-stained cheeks. “It’s okay, Mommy! I love you! A lot a lot!”

This broke Loki further, and he continued to cry in Thor’s arms as he held his son, realizing that he just needed to get this  _ out _ .

He cried until the stabbing pain in his heart became a dull ache, and kissed Sleipnir numerous times, holding his son close. He calmed even further when Thor kissed the temple of Sleipnir and him, pulling the pair closer into his warm embrace. Loki was just  _ so _ thankful for them and smiled softly, feeling much better. “I love you both so much.”

Thor kissed Loki’s temple again, his heart breaking for the omega. “And we love you, Loki. We really, truly do.”

Sleipnir planted so many kisses against his face then that he began to laugh, and the boy giggled when he finally saw Loki’s smile, obviously calming down as well. “I love you too, Mommy! A lot a lot!”

“And Mommy loves you so so so so  _ so _ much,” Assured Loki, returning his son’s kisses. He wiped at his tears and set down the ornament that he had cracked, grabbing another one. “Thank you, guys.”

“Of course, Loki.” Murmured Thor, kissing his cheek before letting go and grabbing an ornament himself. “Let’s start a new tradition; every time we put an ornament on the tree, each of us will share a memory that makes us happy. I’ll start.” He put the ornament up on the tree, a fond smile on his face. “I’m happy that I was able to meet Loki and Sleipnir, because I love them very much.”

Loki smiled sweetly as this, touched by the statement.

Sleipnir grabbed an ornament and put it on the tree next. “I’m happy that Mr. Thor saved me and Mommy, and that Mr. Thor is gonna marry Mommy one day, so that we can all be happy, and I can have a baby brother or sister.”

Loki broke out into a large grin, beginning to laugh. “Thank you, sweetheart.” He stood to place the new ornament on the tree wiping at his eyes. “I’m happy that I have Thor and Sleipnir in my life, because you both mean everything to me.”

The alphas grinned as well and hugged Loki, letting him know that they loved him very much.

And for the first time in  _ years _ , Loki’s heart didn’t break at the thought of Christmas.

༺♥༻

In the past, Loki had not really been able to do much for Sleipnir on Christmas. Svadilfari never let him buy gifts for the boy or celebrate with him, so Loki went all out this Christmas and bought him enough gifts to cover the  _ entire _ floor surrounding the Christmas tree. He’d also gotten Thor a few things, which he was proud of. He couldn’t  _ wait  _ to see the look on their faces.

Of course, Christmas morning started off with Sleipnir jumping up and down on his bed, urging him to wake up. “Come  _ on _ , Mommy! Wake up! Wake up!”

Loki frowned and rolled over onto his back, beginning to groan. “Sleipnir, it’s so  _ early _ .” He looked over at his phone and frowned even deeper when he saw that it was only 7 am.

The little boy moved onto Thor next, pouncing down onto his chest and shaking him awake. “Mr. Thor! Mr. Thor, wake up! Wake up, wake up, wake up!”

Thor yawned loudly and stretched out in bed as Sleipnir continued to shake him awake. “Norns, bud… I’m up. I’m up.”

Sleipnir took hold of his hand and Loki’s next, pulling with all of his strength. “Come  _ on _ , Santa put presents under the tree! It’s never happened before! Come on!”

The pair’s hearts sank at the innocent statement, and they both climbed out of bed and followed Sleipnir down the hall and into the living room, putting on airs of excitement for him.

“Wow!” Gasped Loki, looking down at the literal  _ mountain _ of presents under the tree. “Santa came!”

“Yeah!” Shouted Sleipnir, leaping onto the couches and beginning to jump. “And he brought a  _ lot _ of presents!”

Thor whistled, pointing out a  _ huge _ present underneath the tree. “Look at this one, bud. Santa only gives big presents like this to good alphas.”

Sleipnir shouted again with excitement and jumped off the couch, landing in front of the large gift. “Can I open it?”

“Go ahead, sweetheart.” Murmured Loki, stifling back a yawn and sitting down on the couch. “Show us what Santa got you.”

Sleipnir tore open the gift, clapping his hands in excitement when he saw what it was. “A barbie teacup set!”

Thor smiled when he saw how happy this made Sleipnir, and he sat down next to Loki, wrapping a loving arm around the man. “See, I told you that writing letters to Santa would work, bud.”

Sleipnir giggled and sat the gift down, moving to open the other gifts from “Santa”. It made the pair happy to see Sleipnir enjoying himself, and they couldn’t help but imagine more Christmases like this.

Once Sleipnir made it through all of his gifts from Santa, Thor and Loki, he was eager to show Loki the gifts that he got for him, and grabbed his wrapped mug set, handing it to Loki. “Here, Mommy! This is from me!”

Seeing the poorly wrapped gift touched Loki’s heart, and he teared up, feeling so relieved that he and his son were finally living a normal life. “Thank you, sweetie.” He opened the gift carefully, his eyes widening when he saw the gift.

Sleipnir had gotten him a set of 6 coffee/tea mugs, and each of them had a hand painted picture from the child glazed onto it. Sleipnir had written “ _ You’re the best Mommy! _ ” on one of the mugs, and wrote “ _ I love you, Mommy! A lot a lot! _ ” on another, and he let out a broken cry, wondering what he did to deserve a loving child like his son. “Oh sweetheart, come here.”

Sleipnir teared up and ran over to Loki, climbing into his lap and wrapping his arms around his mother’s neck. “I-I love you, Mommy! And I don’t want you to cry anymore…”

Loki buried his face into the crook of his son’s neck, his heart swelling with love for the boy. “These are happy tears, baby.”

“Promise?”

“I  _ swear _ ,” Assured Loki, meeting his son for a loving kiss. “Your gifts made me really happy, sweetheart. Thank you.”

Sleipnir nodded, a bashful grin on his face. “Me and Mr. Thor got another gift, too!”

Wiping at his eyes, Loki carefully moved the mugs out of his lap, surprised by this. “Really?”

“Yeah! Here, it’s this!” Announced Sleipnir, grabbing a large, rectangular box and thrusting it into his arms. “It cost a  _ lot _ of money!”

Thor snorted at this, ruffling Sleipnir’s hair. “Sleipnir, you never tell someone how much their gift costs. You’re supposed to keep it a secret.”

“Oh… uh… then it  _ wasn’t _ a lot of money, Mommy.”

Now Loki was laughing, and he pinched at his son’s cheeks affectionately, amused with the boy. “Thank you, sweetheart.” He turned to plant a loving kiss against Thor’s lips next, a gentle smile on his face. “Thank you, alpha.”

Thor grinned as Loki tore open his gift, loving the look on his face when he saw that the blanket had the picture of one of Sleipnir’s drawings on the surface.

“You guys are  _ so _ sweet!” Gushed Loki, wiping at his eyes as a fresh wave of happy tears sprouted. “Come here!” He pulled the pair into a loving hug, squeezing them tight and kissing them both. “This was so sweet!”

The pair kissed his cheeks warmly, hugging him back. Thor was relieved that Loki liked everything, and was surprised to see that there were two presents still underneath the tree. “Sleipnir? Did you not open all of your gifts?”

Loki stood up and shook his head, grabbing the biggest one. “Nope, these two gifts are yours. One from me, and one from Sleipnir.”

Thor’s jaw fell open, and the sweetest smile spread across his face at the gesture. “Norns, you both… you didn’t have to get me anything… just being here with you both is enough.”

Loki grunted and sat the box in Thor’s lap, beginning to smile. “Open it.”

Thor was surprised that it was so heavy and tore at the wrapping paper carefully, surprised that it was a blanket. “Why is the blanket so heavy?”

“It’s a weighted blanket,” Explained Loki. “It’s supposed to help with anxiety and restlessness at night… smell it.”

Raising an eyebrow at Loki, Thor brought the blanket out of its box and to his nose sniffing warily. Almost immediately, his nose was hit with the  _ wondrous _ smell of Loki, and he groaned, gripping at the blanket tighter, and inhaling deeply. “ _ Norns! _ ”

Loki knew that Thor would love this, and ran his fingers through his golden hair, happy that he liked it. “I was able to get my scent infused into the blanket, so… no matter how many times you wash it, it’ll always smell like me.” He’d gotten Sleipnir one too, and although it was quite expensive, it was worth it.

Thor inhaled Loki’s scent again, letting out another groan. This was the single-handed most  _ thoughtful _ gift he had ever received, and he pulled Loki into a breathtaking hug, pressing a loving, almost reverent kiss against his lips. “Thank you, omega. Thank you.”

Loki returned his kiss, a soft smile on his face. “Of course, alpha.”

As he pulled away, Thor set the blanket aside and gratefully accepted the wrapped gift that Sleipnir was holding out to him. “Thank you, bud.”

Sleipnir nodded and squeezed himself between Thor and Loki, looking up at Thor nervously. “I hope you like it…”

Thor ruffled the boy’s hair and tore at the wrapping paper, surprised to see that it was such a thoughtful gift. “Sleipnir… thank you.”

The young alpha twisted at his hands nervously, then. “I-It’s cuz Momma said you’re really busy…”

The child had gotten him a universal bluetooth charging set, that could charge his phone, smart watch, and headphones simultaneously. “Thank you, Sleipnir. I really like it, and I needed something like this. Thank you, bud.”

Sleipnir broke out into a wide grin, excited that Thor thought this. “Really?”

“Of course,” Assured Thor, pulling the boy into a warm hug and kissing his brow. “This was an amazing Christmas.”

Sleipnir hugged him back, the scene so touching that Loki  _ had _ to snap a picture. “What about Mommy’s gift?”

“We’ll get dressed and show him right now.” Answered Thor, letting go of the boy and winking at Loki. “You’ve still got one more gift, Loki, but you have to get dressed for me to show it to you.”

Loki rolled his eyes and laughed, wondering what Thor had in store for him. “Do I  _ have _ to get dressed?”

“Not necessarily, if you’re comfortable leaving the house in your night clothes. No one will see us.” Assured the alpha.

Loki yawned and stood up, gesturing for the pair to follow him. “Well let’s go look, then. Mommy is  _ sleepy _ .”

Everyone slipped into their coats and boots and trudged downstairs and to Thor’s car, where he made sure to turn up the heating and the seat warmers. He made sure to turn on the back massager in Loki’s seat, and smirked when the omega let out a soft moan. “Feel better?”

Loki relaxed completely into the seat as it warmed and massaged him, closing his eyes. “Yeah. If my car did this, I would never leave.”

“Do you want a car that has massagers in the seats?”

Loki quickly shook his head. “No. I like the car that I have now.”

Thor hummed softly, looking into the rearview mirror at Sleipnir. “Sleipnir, ready to show Mommy his surprise?”

“Yeah!” Cheered Sleipnir, beginning to get excited.

Loki wondered what Thor had in store for him and talked aimlessly with the alphas while they drove through the city and to a  _ very _ nice, gated community. After Thor typed in a code, he drove into the neighborhood and stopped outside of a drop dead  _ gorgeous  _ house, getting out and helping Loki and Sleipnir out of the car.

Loki was  _ really _ confused and looked around at the property, not understanding why they were here. “...Alpha?”

Reaching down, Thor picked up Sleipnir and took Loki’s hand, looking back and forth between them. “Loki… Sleipnir. You both mean so much to me, and I hate that I can’t come home to you both every night, or wake up to you both every day. So… I decided to fix the problem.” He grinned then, kissing Sleipnir’s cheek. “Want to tell him, bud?”

Giggling, Sleipnir grinned at Loki, finally telling him the secret. “This is our new home, Mommy! And Mr. Thor is gonna live here with us, and then he’s gonna marry you, and then you’ll have a baby, and we’ll all be a family! And no one can ever hurt us again!”

Loki inhaled sharply, staring at Thor in shock. “You bought us a house? You want to live with us?”

“I do,” Murmured Thor, leaning in to kiss him. “I-I know that we’re still working on things inside ourselves, but… I want to come home to you every day, Loki. And while we’re not ready to get married yet, I feel that this is a step we’re both ready to take.”

Loki was absolutely blown away by this, and pulled Thor in for a hug, feeling overwhelmed in the best way possible. “Norns! I-I can’t believe this! I-I-”

Thor grinned and kissed him again, a hopeful look in his eyes. “What do you think?”

The  _ sweetest _ smile spread across Loki’s face, and he nodded hurriedly, feeling himself fall deeper and deeper in love with the alpha from the events of today. “Of course we’ll live with you, alpha.”

Sleipnir cheered as the pair kissed and clapped his hands, getting excited. “Yay! Now you can get married, and then I can get a new baby brother or sister!”

Loki laughed softly at this, amused with the boy. “Marriage and babies won’t come for awhile, sweetheart.”

The young alpha pouted, not happy about this. “But  _ why _ ? I just want a family, too!”

Thor and Loki’s faces fell at the statement, and the pair shared a heartbroken look before turning to look back at Sleipnir. Thor was the first to say something, and he kissed the child’s brow, rubbing at his back. “Sleipnir… you  _ have _ a family. You have your mom, and now you have me, and you have Nanna Frigga… you  _ do _ have a family.”

Sleipnir teared up, not really believing him. “Really?”

“Yes, yes Sleipnir,” Urged Thor. “You have a family. And if it would make you feel like we’re an actual family, you can even call me “Papa” like you wanted to. Okay?”

This put a hopeful smile on the boy’s face. “Really?”

Thor looked at Loki, silently waiting for his permission. When the omega nodded, Thor relaxed, kissing Sleipnir’s crown. “Really. Regardless of what happens, I’m always going to be here for you, and I’m always going to be a part of your family, and you’ll  _ always _ be a part of mine. I promise.”

Now Sleipnir was blushing, and he reached out to hug Thor of his own volition, nestling his face into the crook of Thor’s neck, and covering himself in his scent. Loki and Thor’s mouths  _ dropped _ open as they saw the display, and Thor  _ rushed _ to reassure the little boy, not wanting him to 2nd guess his actions. He hugged the boy tight and nestled into his neck as well, scenting him and affirming him.

This was  _ such _ a beautiful moment for Loki, and his cheeks began to hurt from the wide smile that had been stretched across his face since Thor and Sleipnir started this, pride swelling from within. To see Sleipnir opening up in putting his trust in Thor meant so  _ much _ to Loki, and while he understood that he and Thor were  _ not _ ready for marriage, he would’ve said yes had Thor proposed to him after this.

He pulled the alphas into a warm hug and nestled into them both, absolutely  _ loving _ this moment. 

And he knew then that Christmas had forever been rewritten; he would cherish this day for the rest of his life.

**༺♥༻**


	13. Surprise, Surprise

༺♥༻

A lot changed in Thor’s life after moving in with Loki and Sleipnir in their new home. Waking up to the pair every morning and falling asleep with them every night was surreal, and for the first time in a long time, he felt  _ happy _ .

His heart admittedly skipped a beat every time Loki called him “alpha” and nestled against him, or when Sleipnir called him Papa, and would warily crawl into his lap, still learning to trust that he wouldn’t hurt him and that he  _ did _ love him.

He understood that it would take a  _ long _ time for the boy to truly warm up to him, but he loved where they were right now, and loved that every day spent with the boy left a big smile on his face that wouldn’t go away.

As time passed, the trio finally settled into their new home, and grew used to their dynamic, each of them truly feeling that they  _ were _ a family. It meant so much to him to be able to come home to Sleipnir and Loki after long trips, and to be able to lounge around and spend his days with them.

And time went on in their household.

When two years had passed with them living as a family, Thor seriously began to consider where he wanted to take his relationship with Loki. He really couldn’t see himself not living with the man and his son, and he was genuinely ready to take the next step in settling down.

And he could honestly see himself marrying Loki.

  
  


The omega had honestly  _ blossomed _ in the years that he’d been free from his ex, and became more self assured and determined to make something of himself every day. He had made leaps and bounds in therapy, and was like a completely different person -in the best way possible. And Thor could honestly see himself spending the rest of his life with him.

He was just  _ scared _ .

And he hated that.

The night before he was set to travel on a trip outside of Asgard’s control found him in bed with Loki, the omega nestled warmly against his side. They were around each other so much that they smelled like each other, and Thor  _ loved  _ it. He would also  _ love _ to be bonded to Loki, but… that would come later.

Loki pressing a warm kiss with intent against his jugular made him smile, and he wrapped his arms around the omega, holding him close. 

“What time are you leaving?”

“Early. 5 am.” Sighed Thor, hands moving to squeeze at Loki’s ass. 

Loki didn’t like the fact that Thor had to leave constantly for work, but understood that it was just a part of the mob life. “Sleipnir’s knocked out,” He murmured, sneaking a hand down and stroking at Thor’s flaccid length with his thumb. “I don’t think he’ll come in.”

Sleipnir had been having a string of nightmares lately and had been requesting to sleep with the pair for about a week. They were finally able to convince him to sleep in his room tonight, and they were both eager to enjoy the night together. 

Thor quirked up a mischievous eyebrow at Loki when the omega moved lower to run his thumb across the seam of his testes, turned on by the omega’s boldness. Loki had really come a long way in these two years, and felt  _ immensely _ more comfortable initiating sex and being upfront about what he wanted.    
  


Rutting up against the omega, Thor smirked when Loki copied his movements, hand moving to grab at his ass again. “We might as well enjoy ourselves, then.” He tried to flip Loki onto his back, but the omega stopped him, grabbing at his wrists and pinning them above his head as he kissed him. 

“I want to be on top tonight.” Murmured Loki, tracing kisses from Thor’s lips to his ear.

Thor was eager to see how things went with Loki taking the ropes and relaxed, meeting him for a deep, passionate kiss. “Whatever you want, omega.”

Loki relaxed as well, his confidence coming back. He kissed Thor's jugular, his jaw, his cheek, his ear, before making his way back to his lips, nipping at his plump lower lip as his hands slid down the alpha’s body, taking his time to explore every aspect of Thor’s muscular torso.

Feeling Thor’s rock hard abs always turned him on, and his fingers traced each ab before going lower, pulling down Thor’s pants. Lips were back on Thor’s as he stroked at the alpha’s cock, and he jerked it at a steady rhythm, so sure about what the alpha liked and didn’t like that he had no trouble getting the alpha erect.

Everytime Loki’s lithe fingers moved along his length, Thor’s cock  _ throbbed _ , and he did his best to let Loki do everything like the omega said he wanted to. It was  _ hell _ holding back though, and he couldn’t help but maneuver his large hands under the waistband of Loki’s night pants, gripping at his ass again and running his middle finger along the omega’s cleft.

“ _ Mn… _ ” Moaned Loki, his eyes falling closed when the alpha slid a thick digit into him. “You’re cheating.”

Thor snorted and pushed another finger into Loki, surprised that he was so relaxed. “Did you masturbate earlier?”

Loki shook his head no, a faint blush on his cheeks. “I fingered myself in the shower…”

“ _ Norns… _ ” Breathed Thor, quickly stripping Loki of his pants. 

Once his pants were off, Loki gripped at Thor and sat up on his knees, pushing the thick head of the alpha’s cock against his rim and letting out a low moan once the alpha sank past it, his jaw slackening at that all too familiar stretch. “ _ Fuck _ …”

Thor groaned and exhaled slowly as the omega’s tight warmth enveloped him, giving a test snap of his hips. The sound Loki let out sent sudders down his spine, and he moved to grab Loki’s hips, snapping up into him again. “You feel amazing.”

Loki grinned down at him, squeezing around the alpha and rolling his hips. “So do you.” He was living for the surprised look on Thor’s face, and rolled his hips again, splaying his hands across the alpha’s broad chest, and beginning to ride him in earnest.

He met each snap of Thor’s hips and tossed his head back, each thrust causing jolts to run down his spine. He shifted his hand to grab at his cock as he rode Thor, jerking it in time to his movements and letting out low moans or grunts as he did so.

Thor was loving this and reached up to twist and tug at a pert, pink nipple, groaning when the omega clenched around him. He felt so warm and so snug, and Thor couldn’t help but sit up in bed, wrapping his arms around Loki and taking his lips with his own.

Loki wrapped his legs around Thor’s waist and slipped his tongue into his mouth, being pulled into the alpha’s crushing embrace causing his head to whirl. Their scents intermingled between them and became such a  _ heavenly _ smell, a smell that made his mind drift to the idea of bonding with the alpha.

He ended up nestling his face into the crook of Thor’s neck as the alpha fucked him, fingers running through and clinging onto Thor’s golden hair. His tongue licked along the length of the alpha’s scent gland, almost able to taste the spicy, cinnamon scent. “ _ Norns, _ you smell so good.”

Thor sighed softly when Loki began to suck at his scent gland, pulling the omega even closer, wrapping his arms around him and holding him close as he thrusted up into that sweet,  _ sweet _ warmth.

A particular thrust had Loki’s toes curling, and he gasped loudly, his nails  _ dragging _ down Thor’s back as his eyes fluttered closed. “ _ I-I’m close, alpha!” _

“ _ Me too,” _ Grunted Thor, hands moving to grasp at Loki’s hips so that he could hold him in place while he fucked up into him.

Loki reached down again and jerked his cock in time to Thor’s thrusts, a choked gasp leaving him as he came across Thor’s stomach. His orgasm washed over him in pleasurable waves, and feeling Thor pour into him a moment later only spurred this further.

Thor pressed his lips against Loki and kissed him as they crashed over each wave before falling back onto the bed, the omega resting on his chest. The pair basked in the afterglow for some time, with Thor kissing at Loki’s jugular once he’d caught his breath. “I have a question, omega.”

Loki hummed softly, running his hand along Thor’s upper back. 

“Would you want to bond with me?”

Loki’s eyes almost bulged out of his head and he inhaled sharply, pulling back to look at the alpha with wary hope. “You want us to bond?”

“I want a lot of things, Loki.” Sighed Thor, caressing the omega’s cheek. “I want to get married… I want to just be happy. And I’m happy with you and Sleipnir… we’ve been together for almost three years.”

Loki searched Thor’s gaze, a hopeful smile spreading across his face. “You really want to get married and bond with me?”

It  _ terrified _ Thor to confess this but… a future without Loki terrified him even more. Loki was so genuine with his love, and Thor knew that there just  _ wasn’t _ anyone that was meant to be with him, like Loki. The omega and his son brought such joy into his life, and he wanted that joy to remain. “I do.”

“A-Are you proposing?” Asked Loki, excited pheromones rolling off of him. 

“No, I-”

Loki deflated so quickly, and it broke Thor’s heart to see it. He rushed to explain, sitting up and looking down at the omega, hating that his delivery hurt Loki. “Shit, Loki, that’s not how I meant it.” The look Loki shot him broke his heart, and he sighed, taking the omega’s hand in his and kissing his knuckles. “I wanted to see where your head was at. Now that I know you want to get married too, then… trust that I’ll propose to you in the perfect way.”

Loki honestly didn’t care  _ how _ Thor proposed, he just wanted the alpha to do it. But he understood that the alpha was a perfectionist, so he relaxed, telling himself that Thor would propose when he felt it was right. “Alright… well… When do you want to bond? My IUD expires next month…”

Thor widened his eyes slightly, surprised by the information. “Shit, that soon?”

“Mhm…” Answered Loki, looking back up at him nervously. “Do you want me on birth control?”

“Do you want a baby?” Asked Thor, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Do  _ you _ ?” Questioned Loki, raising an eyebrow in turn.

Thor stared off with him for a few seconds before sighing, settling back into bed. “What’s your timeline, Loki? I mean do you want to have a baby right now? You’re 23. Do you want to be married, first? Bonded? Tell me what you want.”

“I want what you want,” Answered Loki, nestling into Thor’s side. “If that’s a baby, marriage, bonding, whatever it is, I don’t care. I just want it with you.”

“Loki-”

“I mean this, alpha.” Interrupted Loki, looking up and setting him with a determined look. “I don’t mind having a baby if you want to. If you don’t want me to get another IUD, and you want to try for a baby, then I’m okay with that. If you want to get married or bond first, then I’m okay with that too.” He closed his eyes and pressed a warm kiss against Thor’s lips, stroking at his beard. “The order of how we do things doesn’t bother me.”

Thor returned his kiss, beginning to think. He wanted to bond to Loki -as big of a step as it was- and he wanted to marry him. And further down the line, he wanted to have children with him, too. But he understood that he needed his father’s blessing to marry Loki, and… and he didn’t think that he would get it.

His father wasn’t happy about their relationship -the man didn’t like that he didn’t know where Loki came from, or anything about his past- and didn’t trust him. He also didn’t like how young Loki was, and the fact that he had a child already.

“The only thing standing in my way of marrying you right now is my father,” Sighed Thor, beginning to frown. “And there’s only one way around that.”

“What is it?”

“A baby.”

Loki blinked in confusion, trying to understand. “...I’m not following. What does a baby have to do with your father’s approval?”

“In a mob, the head determines who his successor is. His successor can only be by blood, and once chosen, he determines who he feels the successor’s spouse should be. If their successor has fallen in love with someone that the head of the mob hasn’t chosen for them, they need permission to marry and bond to that person. And that permission is something that we don’t have.” Explained Thor.

“And how does a baby fit into this?” Asked Loki, eyes narrowed in confusion.

“If a successor has a child out of wedlock, the head cannot deny a petition for marriage. So… if we have a baby… my father can’t refuse our request to get married.” Finished Thor, looking down at Loki. “So we’re in a complicated predicament.”

Loki nodded slowly, coming to terms with this information. “How certain are you that he would say no if you asked him if you could marry me?”

“Very,” Sighed Thor. “It wouldn’t change if we bonded without his permission or married without his permission… it would actually put you in serious danger if we did that. He could send out an order to have you killed, and there would be nothing that I could do about it. If I ran away with you, and tried to leave the mob… we’d probably have to leave the country.”

The reality of mob life was so harsh sometimes, and Loki couldn’t help but sigh in turn, his mind beginning to run. “So… we’ll have a baby? And get married? And bond after it’s born? Is that the safest way for us to do this?”

Thor hated that they were in this predicament, but understood that mob life wasn’t all glitz and glam. The last thing he needed was to put Loki or Sleipnir in danger, and he knew that having a child first and getting Loki far enough in the pregnancy to where it couldn’t be terminated, was the safest way to get what they wanted, which was marriage and bonding. “...Are you okay with that?”

Loki kissed Thor’s jaw warmly, running a soothing hand up and along his side. “If this is what we have to do, then we have to do it. I’m not working, so I can stay home with the baby… and your mom comes over a few times a week, so I’m certain that she’d be over to help, too.” He kissed him again before sighing softly, still trying to understand. “Why can’t he oppose the marriage request if I’m pregnant?”

“Because you’d be carrying the blood of the mob. If he hurt you, he’s hurting his own blood because of the child you’d be carrying. And  _ that _ is something that is taboo in mob life; you cannot kill those of your blood.” Explained Thor.

Hearing the explanation made it suddenly click for Loki, and he exhaled slowly, realizing that this was the safest way to do things. “Alright… well… I’ll go to my OBGYN tomorrow and get my IUD taken out. And then when you get back from your trip, we’ll start trying for a baby. If I get pregnant, we’ll keep it between us until I’m 12 weeks, and then we’ll tell Frigga. We’ll pretend that this was unexpected, and blame it on my IUD weakening and expiring.  _ No one _ will know. And Odin will never know that we planned this.”

Thor loved this side of Loki and kissed him gently, rubbing at his lower back. “You sure you’re ready for this? I can wait as long as you need me to, Loki.”

“I’m ready,” Assured Loki, meeting the alpha for a soft kiss. “I want to marry you. And if we have to do things this way because of the mob, then… then we do it this way. I don’t mind having another baby right now, as long as it’s with you. And as long as you’re ready to do this with me, then… then we’ll be okay. Right?”

Thor kissed Loki again, reassuring him. “Right.”

Right as the pair met for a final kiss, they heard loud knocking at their bedroom door, followed by an unsure, “Mama? Papa?”. Thor snorted and pressed a kiss against Loki’s cheek, making sure to clean himself up before getting up from the bed and opening the door, blocking Sleipnir’s view as Loki quickly pulled on his pants and a shirt. “Hey, bud. Everything okay?”

Sleipnir immediately nestled into Thor’s stomach, wrapping his arms around his waist. “I had a nightmare, Papa.”

“Did you, now?” Murmured Thor, bending over to kiss the boy’s brow.

“Mhm,” Answered Sleipnir, looking up at him. “Can I sleep with you and Mama?”

“Sure, bud. But tomorrow we have to work on sleeping in your room, okay?” Stated Thor, bending over and picking the boy up. He knew that he was 7, but he couldn’t help but be affectionate with him. He knew there’d be a day when Sleipnir wouldn’t want hugs or kisses, and he and Loki were trying to take advantage of the boy still wanting to be hugged and kissed or picked up.

Loki was glad that Thor answered the door and pulled back the sheets as the alpha set Sleipnir down in the bed, meeting the boy for a kiss. “What’s wrong, Sleipnir?”

“I had a nightmare. I dreamed that I was crying, and you and Papa didn’t care about me.” Explained Sleipnir, nestling under Loki’s chin. “It was really scary, and I couldn’t wake up. I thought it was real…”

It always pained Loki when he heard about some of the emotional pain his son was still dealing with, and he made a mental note to bring this up with Sleipnir’s therapist. “I’m sorry you had a nightmare, sweetheart. Here, sleep with me and Papa tonight.”

“Thank you,” Murmured Sleipnir, wrapping his arms around Loki. 

The boy was out before Thor settled himself in bed, and he laughed softly, kissing the boy’s crown. “At least we had sex and talked before he came in.”

“That is true,” Laughed Loki, staring down at the boy fondly. “He’s growing up so fast. I know that him sleeping in here is annoying, but… I know there’s going to be a day where he won’t want to climb in here to be with us. And I want to enjoy all these little moments where he still needs me like this.”

“Of course, Loki; don’t worry about it.” Yawned Thor, settling down on the pillow next to the pair. “I’ll wake you both before I go.”

“Thanks,” Murmured Loki, yawning in turn. The peaceful domesticity of his life had become his greatest joy, and when Thor pulled him and Sleipnir closer into his arms he grinned, finally able to fall asleep.

The family slept soundly until Thor’s alarm went off at 4am, and he woke up to shower and pack for his trip, hating that he had to leave the people that had become his family. It was a part of mob life though, so he told himself that he’d be home in a few days, and would see his family then.

This week he would be leaving outside of Asgard’s realm of influence, and heading to Vanaheim. He had some business to discuss with that mob -they’d been “partners” since his grandfather Borr ran the Asgardian mob- and planned on being there no longer that a week.

Once he showered and got dressed, Thor made his way back over to their bed, sitting down on Loki’s side and kissing his cheek. “Loki, I’m leaving.”

The omega made a pitiful sound, turning onto his back and blinking open his eyes slowly. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah,” Murmured Thor, rubbing at Loki’s cheek. “I’ll call you tonight.”

“Okay,” Yawned Loki, gently shaking his son awake. “Sleipnir, Papa is leaving.”

“No!” Whimpered the boy, waking up and reaching out to hug Thor. “How long will you be gone?”

Thor returned the boy’s hug, relieved that they were as close as they were now. “Not long; I’ll be back before the week is over.” He kissed Sleipnir’s crown then, making sure to hug him extra tight before letting go. “Be good for your mother.”

“‘Kay.” Agreed Sleipnir, hugging Thor tight too before letting go. “Make sure you beat up a lot of bad guys.”

Thor snorted and stood up, staring down at the pair fondly. “I will.” Loki and Sleipnir waved goodbye, so after waving back, Thor grabbed his bags and closed the bedroom door, hoping that he wouldn’t have to be gone for long.

It took about 5 hours to drive outside of Asgard’s region of influence, and once he arrived into Vanaheim’s region of influence, it took another hour to get to the city that the mob headquarters was in.

He wasn’t worried about traveling here alone, and parked his car inside the parking garage of the tall skyscraper that Vanaheim’s mob operated out of. He was meeting with the underboss of the Vanaheim mob and entered the building, riding up to the top floor of the skyscraper and waiting for the underboss’ assistant to come out and get him. He didn’t have to wait long, fortunately, and followed his assistant to a meeting room with large monitors on the wall. It was just him and the underboss today -a few members of his mob would be here tomorrow- so he sat down across from him at the table, greeting him. “Freyr; thanks for meeting with me, today.”

“The pleasure’s all mine, Thor.” Answered the man, a serious look on his face. “Let’s get right down to business. There’s a few things we need to discuss, underboss to underboss.”

Thor straightened up in his seat, growing serious as well. “Sure.”

Freyr pulled out a tablet, typing in something and reviewing it before speaking. “Jotunheim has been in our territory for a few weeks, now. They were in Alfheim’s territory for 6 months, and in Svartalfheim for 6 months before that.” He sighed then, turning the screen towards Thor. “I understand that Asgard and Jotunheim are sworn enemies, so I’m coming to you first to let you know.”

Thor looked over the information Freyr presented to him, reading that Jotunheim had systematically been in almost every mob’s territory over the past 3 years. “What are they doing?” 

“We don’t know,” Sighed Freyr, taking the tablet back. “But we think they’re looking for someone. Alfheim has a somewhat amicable relationship with Svartalfheim, and they were the ones that told them that Jotunheim is “on the hunt” for something that belongs to their boss.”

Thor exhaled slowly, his mind beginning to race. “They can’t enter our territory without our permission. And if they do, they’re risking starting a mob war. They shouldn’t even be in your territory, considering our alliance.”

“Yes… well… my father has given them permission to “look” for whatever it is they’re searching for. He’s given them the deadline of 6 months, and they’re being watched. He doesn’t believe that they’re coming here to start a war, Thor. He believes that they’re searching for an escaped member, and wants nothing to do with the fallout if the escaped member is in our territory.”

“Naturally,” Sighed Thor, beginning to think. “Am I the only member of my mob that knows this?”

“Yes,” Answered Freyr. “Tomorrow when more of our members meet, I’ll reveal the same information to them. But I wanted to tell you first, as a heads up.”

“Thanks, man. This is a tricky situation no matter how you look at it.” Thor shook his head then, trying to pinpoint what Jotunheim was doing. “Whatever or whoever they’re searching for has to be pretty damn important for them to risk starting a mob war over.”

Freyr nodded, scrolling through more of his information. “My alphas have been able to gather some important information, though. Jotunheim has been showing up at homeless shelters, omega shelters, and have been searching low income housing and government assistant housing, in every region that they’ve searched. It usually takes them about 6-8 months to do this for each region of influence.”

Thor blinked rapidly in confusion, everything dawning on him. “Shit.”

Freyr raised a curious eyebrow at him. “What?”

“I-I gotta go. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Rushed Thor, standing up and quickly leaving the room they were in. All he could think about was Loki, and the vague information that Loki gave him when he first met the omega three years ago.

If Jotunheim was looking for him, they were  _ fucked _ .

༺♥༻

Loki woke back up around 6, wondering why he felt so drained. His body felt like lead, and he had a  _ pounding _ headache. Nevertheless, he had class today,  _ and _ needed to drop Sleipnir off at school.

Sitting up in bed, Loki swung his legs over the edge and ran his hand through his hair, yawning before standing up. He didn’t really feel like making a large breakfast this morning, and instead chose something simple; oatmeal. Sleipnir absolutely  _ loved _ blueberries, so as he got out the ingredients and poured everything into the pot, he thought about his conversation with Thor.

He wasn’t  _ opposed _ to having another baby right now, but he wasn’t too happy that the baby had to come in order for him to be able to marry Thor. Mob life was brutal though, and he understood from his time with Svadilfari there were numerous unspoken rules that the whole mob followed and lived by. What he and Thor were doing was something that wasn’t fair, but needed to be done, nevertheless.

A shock of nausea running through him at the smell of blueberry confused him, and he gagged, rushing to the sink in the kitchen and beginning to vomit. The scent of the blueberry wafting from the now burning oatmeal was overwhelming, and he covered his nose and shuffled over to the stove, quickly turning off the stovetop. He retched again when he accidentally inhaled more of the blueberry scent, and staggered back over to the sink, throwing up once again.

He absolutely  _ hated _ being sick, and ran the water from the faucet, hoping to clear the scent of the blueberries. He originally thought that he had a stomach virus, but realized that he only got sick when he smelled the blueberries...and he hadn’t eaten anything.

Narrowing his eyes, Loki quickly assessed the state of his body, running through various aches or pangs that he’d written off. He woke up feeling like a train hit him this morning, he threw up this morning, and last night while he was having sex with Thor, he had thought it was weird that he was so sensitive on his chest. He thought back to last week, where he’d had terrible nasal congestion. He’d just thought that it was the changing weather, but… considering what else he had been feeling, he realized that this probably wasn’t the case.

Wiping at his lips, Loki walked upstairs and into the master bathroom, digging into the back of the cabinet in there and grabbing a few pregnancy tests. It was far-fetched he believed -he still had his IUD- but he knew that it wasn’t unheard of for pregnancies to happen the closer one got to their IUD expiring.

He unboxed one and grabbed a plastic cup to urinate in, dipping the test into it and placing it on a paper towel to wait three minutes. He’d had a few pregnancy scares in his relationship with Thor, and kept tests in the house just to be safe. Pacing back and forth nervously, Loki thought about what he would do if he was pregnant.

Pregnancy was what he and Thor wanted, as it was the only way they could get Odin’s permission to marry, but they had  _ just _ talked about it; he hadn’t even had any time to process what they had to do. It was nerve-wracking to know that he  _ could _ be pregnant again, even if this was what they wanted.

His timer on his cell phone beeping caught his attention, and he took in a deep breath before exhaling slowly, grabbing the test. And in all bold letters he read it:  **_pregnant_ ** _. _

His heart seemed to beat twice in that moment, and he set the test down, grabbing the other ones and dipping them in the cup to verify that this one wasn’t a fluke. Waiting another 3 minutes revealed that no, it wasn’t a fluke. He  _ was _ pregnant.

Loki immediately began to worry and grabbed his phone, dialing the office for his OBGYN. He knew for a fact that it was dangerous to be pregnant and have an IUD, and understood that he needed to get it removed  _ today _ . He hoped that him still having the IUD didn’t impact the baby, and sent a worried prayer up to the Norns, praying that he had nothing to be concerned about.

Luckily, his OBGYN could get him in for 9 that morning, so he let out a breath of relief, leaning against one of the counters in the bathroom. He knew he needed to tell Thor, and snapped a picture of all of the pregnancy tests, sending them to him. He wanted to call, but he knew that the alpha was busy, so he turned off his phone and disposed of the cup, grabbing all the tests and leaving the bathroom.

He was surprised to see Sleipnir was up, and quickly put the pregnancy tests in a ziploc bag for safe keeping, knowing that he wanted to preserve them. “Hey, sweetheart. Ready to go to school?”

“Yeah,” Yawned Sleipnir, stretching out in bed before climbing out and padding across the room. “Are you okay, Mama?”

Loki met his son for a hug and kissed his crown, deciding to tell him about the pregnancy. It was still early, but he knew that the boy would be happy about it. “Mama’s got a surprise.”

Sleipnir immediately perked up, getting happy. “Really?! What is it?!”

“You’re going to have a new baby brother or sister, in a few months.” 

The grin that Sleipnir shot him warmed his heart, and he laughed when the alpha whooped and began to jump up and down, his happiness infectious. 

“YES! I’m so excited! I’m gonna teach the baby how to run, and play, and I’m gonna show them my favorite video games, and introduce them to all my friends, and-”

“They won’t be here for awhile, sweetheart,” Laughed Loki, ruffling his son’s hair. “They have to grow, first.”

Sleipnir ran back over to him and hugged him, giggling and grinning up at him. “Oh yeah. Well, I’m gonna protect them, Mama! I won’t let  _ anyone _ hurt them! And if they try, then I’ll do this!” Sleipnir let go of him and did a complicated taekwondo maneuver -he was currently a red belt with a black stripe- and looked up at him proudly once he was done, determination in his eyes. “No one can hurt them! I’ll protect them, and I’ll protect you, Mommy!”

Loki just  _ adored _ his son, and hugged him close, kissing his temple. “Thank you, sweetheart. I’m sure that the baby will be happy to have a protective older brother like you.” He kissed him again before letting go, rubbing at his back. “Let’s get you dressed for school, sweetheart.”

“I’m hungry,” Complained the child, clinging back onto Loki. “Can I have McDonald’s?”

Loki knew that they were running late and didn’t want to risk throwing up again by trying to make breakfast, so he gave in, pinching at the boy’s side playfully. “Fine, but you have to hurry up and get ready. Mommy has a really busy day, and we’re running late.”

“‘Kay!” Shouted Sleipnir, letting go and running out of the room and down the hall to his own. 

Loki smiled softly and laughed to himself at the boy’s rambunctious energy, opening his closet and getting dressed for the day. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, Loki made his way down the hall to Sleipnir’s room, seeing that the boy was brushing his teeth himself. He was quite proud of this -getting the boy to brush his teeth and use mouthwash was like pulling teeth- and entered the bathroom, ruffling his hair. “I’m proud of you for brushing your teeth, baby.”

Sleipnir beamed at the praise, spitting out his toothpaste into the sink. “I have to be good for the baby!”

This was the  _ sweetest _ thing Loki had heard in a long time from the boy -it was  _ adorable  _ how he wanted to be a good example for the baby- and he kissed his cheek, rubbing at his back. “Put on your shoes so we can go, sweetheart.”

“‘Kay!” Chirped Sleipnir, rinsing his mouth before spitting into the sink and turning it off. “Mommy, are you still coming on the field trip?”

Loki blinked in bewilderment before swearing, remembering that the boy had a field trip to the city’s zoo, today. His class usually didn’t leave for field trips until 10 or 11, so he believed that if he dropped Sleipnir off at school quickly and rushed over to the doctor’s office, he could make it back to the boy’s school in enough time. “Sure, baby. Mommy just needs to check up on the baby, and I’ll be back at your school before it’s time to leave.”

The young alpha looked up at him skeptically, not really believing him. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, sweetheart, Mommy’s sure. Now let’s go, we’re really running late,” Rushed Loki, urging Sleipnir out of the bathroom and grabbing his school bag and lunch box while he put on his shoes.

He strapped the boy into his SUV once they were outside and closed his door before getting in himself. The McDonalds was only a few minutes down the road, and there weren’t too many cars in the drive-thru, so Loki sent a thankful prayer up to the Norns. After getting himself and Sleipnir some breakfast, Loki was able to drop the boy off at school by 7:45, and made it to his doctor by 8:15, relieved that they were able to squeeze him in and see him early.

Loki was a bit worried that he hadn’t received a response from Thor, but chalked it off to him just being busy. He knew from experience that Thor would answer his call no matter what, and he didn’t want to distract the alpha, so he told himself that he would just wait until Thor called him tonight.

After submitting a urine sample and a blood sample, Loki changed into a gown and sat down on the examination table, a lithe hand coming to rest on his stomach. He couldn’t be too far along, as his IUD wasn’t completely expired. He just hoped that everything was okay with the baby.

The door to his room opened then, and he smiled politely at his doctor, greeting him.

“Loki! Looks like you’ve got a bun in the oven!” Announced his OBGYN, reading the results of the urine test. “Let’s get that IUD out of you and do an ultrasound so that we can see how far along you are.”

“Please,” Agreed Loki, laying back on the examination table and putting his legs in the stirrups. “I think it expires next month.”

His OBGYN snapped on gloves and covered his fingers in lubricant, doing a physical exam on Loki first. “Yeah, it’s not uncommon for people to fall pregnant as early as 3 months before their IUD expires.” Pleased with what he felt, he pulled out his gloved fingers and grabbed a few items, prepping Loki for the IUD removal. “Expect a lot of cramping and tenderness during and after the removal; you know how it goes.”

Loki nodded and bit a lower lip, hating this part. He gripped at the sides of the examination table as his doctor prepped him, inhaling sharply and exhaling slowly once he felt the doctor tug on the string and swiftly remove the IUD.

Now that it was out he could relax, and slowly loosened his grip on the table, seeing that the doctor was reaching for a phallic-shaped probe. “...Is that going in me?”

“Yep,” Answered his doctor, covering it with lubricant. “I suspect you’re still early in the pregnancy, so a trans-clocal ultrasound will be a bit easier for me to look over the baby.”

Loki exhaled in discomfort as the probe was pushed into him, and looked up at the screen that the doctor was showing him, suddenly seeing the small embryo on screen. “Norns!”

“Don’t worry, Loki; I’ll take plenty of screenshots.” Assured the doctor, taking measurement of the embryo. “Hm… it seems that you’re about 8 and a half weeks. The embryo’s measurements are on par with what we usually see in alpha infants. I can’t say for sure that this baby is an alpha, but… as your child develops, we’ll know more.”

Loki looked at the screen in awe, watching the small embryo in wonder. “I-Is it healthy?”

“I don’t see anything concerning in its development at this stage,” Assured the doctor, turning on the sound so that he could hear the baby’s heart beat.

The gentle whooshing pulled this all together for Loki, and he found himself tearing up, awed that he was pregnant again. He wished so badly that Thor was here with him and wiped at his eyes, wondering how this pregnancy would be. He had been so young when he got pregnant with Sleipnir, and wasn’t able to enjoy it like he could with this baby.

When he was pregnant with Sleipnir, he hadn’t been able to go to doctor’s appointments, he wasn’t able to see him on an ultrasound, and he spent the entire pregnancy wondering if his baby was healthy. He had been on the verge of sucide when he found out he was pregnant with him, and did his best to avoid beatings from Svadilfari, not wanting the alpha to damage the baby.

Of course, Svadilfari did beat him senseless when he found out Loki was pregnant, in an attempt to make him miscarry, but… it hadn’t worked. And for that, Loki was thankful. Sleipnir was his miracle, he was his reason for living, and without him, he wouldn’t be here.

He understood that this pregnancy would be different though, and it made him emotional to think about everything he would be able to do and experience, now that he was free.

“Everything looks good, Loki. Come back when you’re 12 weeks, and I’ll be able to get a more accurate look at the baby. Do you have any questions for me?”

“Nope,” Sighed Loki, sitting up and wiping at his tears as the doctor pulled the probe out of him. “Thank you so much, Doctor.”

“Of course, Loki. If you have any questions, or any concerns, please don’t hesitate to call.”

Loki waited for the doctor to leave before sighing, leaning back on the examination table, and pulling out his phone. He still didn’t see a message from Thor and frowned, trying to not read too much into it. He  _ really _ wanted to call the alpha, but told himself that if Thor hadn’t responded to him, he was extremely busy, and the last thing he wanted to do was interrupt him.

It was currently 9, so Loki cursed and quickly got dressed, paying his copay at the front desk and scheduling another appointment before leaving, off to Sleipnir’s school. Frigga would be meeting him there -she had  _ fluidly  _ inserted herself into their lives- so he called her, wanting her to know that he’d be late.

Frigga always answered by the second ring, and today was no different, much to Loki’s amusement. “Loki, dear! I was wondering where you were. Sleipnir said you would be late to the field trip?”

“I had a check-up,” Explained Loki, not wanting to go into too much detail. If Thor's mother found out about the pregnancy, she would undoubtedly tell Odin. And if Odin found out too soon, he had no doubt that it would put their plans into jeopardy. "I scheduled it a few months ago, and forgot about it till today."

"No worries, dear. Their teacher said we'll all be leaving in 30 minutes; do you think you'll be here by then?" 

"For sure. I'm about 15 minutes away from the school now."

"Alright, well I'll see you here, dear." Stated Frigga, ending the call. 

It didn't take too long to get to Sleipnir's school, and he quickly parked and signed in at the main office, rushing to the boy’s classroom. It seemed like he made it in the nick of time, as the children were lining up to leave as he entered the classroom.

Sleipnir spotted him and jumped up and down in line, calling out to him. “Mama!”

Loki waved and walked over to his son and Frigga, kissing his crown and hugging him close. “See, I told you that I would make it in time.” He greeted Frigga next, hugging her and kissing her cheek. “Thank you for coming, Frigga.”

“Of course, dear. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” Assured the woman. “You know how much I care for you both.”

By this point Loki was used to Frigga's constant presence, and shot her a thankful smile. “And we feel the same, Frigga.”

Sleipnir’s teacher gestured for everyone to follow her, so he and Frigga left the classroom and followed them outside and onto the school bus, kissing Sleipnir and telling him to have fun with his friends. He and Frigga sat down in the front of the bus, and it wasn’t until they were well on their way that Frigga spoke to him.

“Sleipnir tells me that you’re going to have a baby?”

_ Shit _ .

“Uh…”

Frigga placed a warming hand on his thigh, not wanting him to worry. “Is it true?”

“...I didn’t want to tell you or anyone until I made it to 12 weeks,” Sighed Loki. “But yes; I found out I was pregnant this morning.”

“How do you feel about it?”

Loki knew that he needed to play this off as a surprise, as he didn’t want Frigga to think that he knew about the loophole he and Thor were trying to exploit. “I’m shocked. Thor and I weren’t planning on having a baby yet, but… my doctor told me that an IUD weakens the closer it gets to its expiration. I was supposed to get it replaced today, hence the doctor’s appointment.”

Frigga hummed, observing him for some time. “How far along are you?”

“Eight and a half weeks,” Sighed Loki. “I was trying to keep it a secret until 12 weeks… I probably shouldn’t have told Sleipnir.”

“He was so excited,” Laughed Frigga, a twinkle in her eyes. “I hope you can be, too, Loki. I understand how shocking this news must be, but… I truly am happy for you and my son. I care so deeply for you and your son, and it warms my heart to see how you’ve changed Thor for the better.”

Loki looked over at her nervously then. “How do you feel about it, Frigga?”

Frigga took his hand and squeezed it, mild concern in her eyes. “I’m worried about the future. I’m sure you understand what will happen, should you choose to keep the child?”

“I… understand that this child will tie me to the Asgardian mob forever. And I am more than willing to live that way. I love your son, and I want to be with him, regardless of what that means for me.”

The pair searched each other’s eyes before Frigga nodded, beginning to relax. “Then… I am happy to finally be a grandmother. And I am happy that my son has found the person who has made him whole again. I’m happy that for  _ once _ in your lives, you and your son are happy and stable. And this baby can bring it all together.” She laughed softly then, pinching his cheek. “Who knows, it could make my husband less grumpy and more accepting of you both being together.”

“Please don’t tell him,” Rushed Loki, getting worried. “I want to have some time to process this with Thor before we tell everyone.”

“Sure, dear. I will keep it between us.” Assured Frigga, not wanting him to worry. “All I ask is that you depend on me when you need help. I want to be there for you, your son, and this baby.”

Loki’s face softened, and he smiled at her, beginning to relax. “Of course, Frigga.”

He felt a bit better about his situation, as it seemed like she believed him. He trusted that she wouldn’t tell Odin, and spoke with her about miscellaneous things, finally arriving at the zoo that Sleipnir’s field trip was at.

It was nice to enjoy Sleipnir’s childhood like this, and spending time with the boy and Frigga was fun, so he did his best to focus on them, and not about his future with Thor and the mob.

Everything had gone so right for the past 3 years, and… and he didn’t want it to stop.

༺♥༻

Thor noticed that Loki sent him a few messages as he walked out of Vanaheim’s central building, and to his car. He’d called his men earlier to stay close to Loki, and jumped through  _ hoops _ to make sure that his father didn’t find out about him using their men to protect Loki. 

He was scared  _ shitless _ when he got a call from Heimdall and gulped nervously, answering it. “...Heimdall.”

“Thor.”

“What can I do for you?” Asked Thor, trying to stabilize his voice. Heimdall was his father’s right hand man, and was their head of intel for the Asgardian mob. The man knew  _ everything _ about every member, and absolutely  _ nothing _ went past him.

“I think you know what this is about.” Chuckled the man, the deep tenor of his voice sending shivers down Thor’s spine. “That precious little boyfriend of yours? He and his son are  _ wanted _ . I just got intel from one of my associates in Vanaheim that Njord is thinking about telling Odin that Jotunheim is searching for Loki and Sleipnir. Nothing has been confirmed, as this is a delicate subject.”

The wind was knocked out of Thor when he heard this, and he felt like he was watching himself out of body. “Heimdall… how much time do I have?”

Heimdall sighed, and it was his silence that terrified Thor. “My associate doesn’t know that Loki and Sleipnir are in Asgard. In fact, no one in Vanaheim knows this. And I don’t plan on telling them; at least, not  _ yet _ .”

“...How long do I have, Heimdall?” Reiterated Thor, gritting his teeth.

“It’s still too early to tell; my estimate is that Odin finds out that Jotunheim has been looking over the country for “something” or “someone” for the past 3 years, today.” Sighed Heimdall, growing serious. “Because Jotunheim and Asgard are sworn enemies, I doubt that Odin will feel comfortable with this information. And because Vanaheim has an alliance with Asgard, they aren’t going to do something that makes Odin unhappy; for a price.”

From the way Heimdall was explaining this, it seemed like it was too early to tell what the fallout would be. Only Heimdall knew that Loki and Sleipnir were in Asgard. “Heimdall…”

The man was silent again for some time. “...Do you love him?”

Thor swallowed nervously, his heart almost beating out of his chest. “I love him, Heimdall. Him and that boy mean the world to me… I can’t lose them.”

“...I will stave off Odin’s knowledge about who Jotunheim is looking for, for as long as I can.”

Relief flooded through Thor when he heard this. “Heimdall-”

“Do what you need to do, Thor; whatever that ends up being.”

The phone clicked off as Heimdall hung up, and Thor let out a breath that he didn’t know he was holding, feeling weak from the relief that was flowing through him. He took a few minutes to process the literal  _ bullet _ that Heimdall was taking for him, before unlocking his phone again to view the messages that Loki sent him.

He almost  _ died _ when he saw the positive pregnancy tests, and immediately called him, his heart beating erratically. 

“Hey, alpha.”

“Loki! I-Is this for real?! You’re pregnant?!”

The omega laughed softly, and Thor could almost see the smile on his face. “I found out this morning… I got sick when I tried to make Sleipnir breakfast, and connected the dots.”

“But how?! You had an IUD?”

“My doctor said that it isn’t unheard of for people to fall pregnant as soon as 3 months before their IUD expires. I-I know we  _ just _ talked about getting pregnant, and that this is unexpected, but…” Loki sighed then, and Thor felt bad about his initial reaction. “I’m 8 and a half weeks, Thor.”

Thor’s heart swelled with a joy that he hadn’t felt in over a decade, and he bit a lower lip, wanting nothing more than to hold Loki and kiss him. “Norns.”

“...How do you feel about it?”

“I’m happy, Loki, I swear.” Assured Thor, his tone gentle. “I want to come home and pull you and Sleipnir in bed, and hold the both of you forever. I’m so happy that I could fucking cry.” Loki’s jovial laugh made Thor laugh as well, and he couldn’t help but grin, feeling immensely better. “I’ll be home in a few days, Loki, and we’ll celebrate then.”

“Alright. Well, I’m looking forward to it. I love you.”

“I love you too, Loki. I’ll call you and Sleipnir later tonight to say goodnight.” Stated Thor. He hung up then, leaning back into his seat and sighing to himself. He didn’t want to discuss what he learned about Loki over the phone, and knew that the best thing to do would be to wait until he got home. The last thing he needed was Loki panicking.

He didn’t know how things would turn out, but he would spend the next few days fanning the flames and doing everything in his power to protect Loki and Sleipnir.

He couldn’t lose them too.

  
༺♥༻

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Planning on ending this story in 10 chapters or less, and most def before 2021 begins. Also planning on adding a bit more suspense and drama and violence, since this is a mob story.


	14. Plans in the Dark

**༺♥༻**

Thor was scared.

For the first time in  _ years _ , he was scared.

Heimdall had given him time, time to determine how he wanted to handle Loki. Because the omega was pregnant, he didn’t want to escape from the mob to Canada. Odin couldn’t hurt Loki either since the omega was pregnant, so Thor’s best bet was to work with Vanaheim’s mob to make sure that Jotunheim  _ never _ made it into Asgard, and that Odin didn’t find out about Loki being from Jotunheim until he was well along in the pregnancy, and they were married.

Making sure that Odin didn’t find out about Jotunheim was tricky, because there wasn’t a single thing about the mob that Odin wasn’t aware of. Heimdall promised Thor that he would keep the knowledge of who Jotunheim was looking for away from Odin for as long as he could, and Thor wanted to use that to his advantage.

He drove back to his hotel with his mind on a hundred, trying to determine the best way to protect Loki. He didn’t want to tell Loki that he knew where he came from just yet, because his greatest fear was that Loki would take Sleipnir and their baby, and run. And he could never live with himself if he lost them all like that.

No, instead, Thor needed to think. He needed to think, and he needed to do it fast, because during the meeting tomorrow, Freyr would reveal to various Asgardian captains that Jotunheim was in their territory, looking for someone or something.

And he needed to use that to his advantage.

Asgard and Vanaheim had an understanding. They’d been allies for decades, and did their best to not upset each other, and shake things up. Thor knew that he needed to allude to this, and do his best to draw his father and his mob’s attention to Vanaheim letting in Jotunheim, and  _ not _ who or what Jotunheim was searching for.

If he riled up his father and his captains, and suggested that they demand that Jotunheim be kicked out of Vanaheim’s territory, it was very likely that Vanaheim would cave, and tell Jotunheim to leave. If he did this, that would buy him more time. Then, he could marry Loki, bring their child into this world, and do his best to keep Loki’s secret.

He wasn’t sure that it would work, but Thor would do his damn best to make sure that Loki, Sleipnir, and his unborn child were protected.

He  **couldn’t** lose them.

**༺♥༻**

The meeting between himself, Freyr, and prominent captains from both sides was at 9 am in Vanaheim’s company building the next day, and upon arrival he greeted Fandral and Volstagg, who were both captains in the Asgardian mafia. They had no knowledge that Loki was from Jotunheim, and had no idea that he was planning on sabotaging the meeting today, in order to get Jotunheim out of Vanaheim.

They were all gathered in a large board meeting room, and once everyone had arrived, Freyr -the underboss of the Vanaheim mob- began to speak. “Hello, everyone. I’d like to bring an issue to Asgard in good faith. I hope that you look at this as Vanaheim respecting our relationship with Asgard.” He cleared his throat then, sharing the same information he shared with Thor, with the rest of the captains. 

Volstagg shot Thor a bewildered look when it was revealed that Vanaheim had given permission for Jotunheim to search through their region of influence, and he mirrored that expression, pretending to be just as confused and annoyed as him.

When Freyr was done giving his presentation, he looked out at everyone, giving the floor to Thor. Thor pretended to mull over his answer before speaking, making sure that to everyone else, he looked annoyed. “What I’m struggling to understand is why Vanaheim allowed Jotunheim to search within their region of influence. If Asgard had allowed Helheim to do that, you’d all be pissed; rightfully so.”

The captains of the Asgardian mob nodded in agreement, so Thor sat up in his seat, looking out at the captains of Vanaheim. “I understand that Asgard cannot demand Vanaheim to do anything. And I am sure you understand that Vanaheim could never demand that Asgard do something. But what I believe we are all well aware of is that we have an  _ alliance _ .”

“Jotunheim is our sworn enemy, and if they’re in your region that means it’s only a matter of time before they come into ours, and they have no right to do so. I’m struggling to understand why you’ve given Jotunheim permission to search in your region, considering the relationship that we have.” Finished Thor, raising an eyebrow at Freyr.

“Are you working with Jotunheim?” Asked Volstagg, crossing his arms and frowning.

“No-”

“Then why are they in your region?” Questioned Fandral. “Did they offer you something?”

Freyr narrowed his eyes at the men. “No. My father didn’t see an issue with allowing them to search our region. They’re not doing business-”

“How do you know?” Interrupted Thor. “How do you know that they’re not conducting business in your region as we speak?”

Freyr narrowed his eyes further, taking a moment to choose a safe answer. “What Vanaheim does is under the discretion of Vanaheim, and Vanaheim only. Although our mobs are close, there is no decree that we aren’t able to interact with whomever we choose.”

This answer didn’t make anyone in Asgard happy, and Volstagg sputtered at the response, an incredulous look on his face. “So you’re willing to risk your relationship with Asgard for whatever the hell Jotunheim is doing?”

“That isn’t what we’re saying,” Rushed Freyr, a worried expression on his face. “We are simply exercising our right to allow whoever we want into our region.”

“So I suppose we should exercise our right to finally allow Helheim’s pharmaceutical market into Asgard?” Asked Thor, knowing that he was playing with fire. Because of Vanaheim’s close relationship with Asgard, Asgard allowed them to have a monopoly on their drug market, both legal and illegal. All of their drugs were imported from Vanaheim, and what he was doing was suggesting that Asgard saw no issue with getting some of their drugs from Helheim. If they did this, Vanaheim would lose  _ millions _ .

The captains of Vanaheim paled considerably, and Freyr widened his eyes in shock, all of them in complete disbelief that Thor would say that. “I don’t really understand how us allowing Jotunheim into our region of influence warrants that response.”

“Asgard is within their right to make whatever decisions we choose, as you just said.” Stated Thor, throwing Freyr’s response back at him. “If you’re doing business with our sworn enemy, there’s no reason as to why we shouldn’t do business with yours.”

Freyr stared off with him for a few seconds, clearly annoyed with him. “Thor-”

“I have no idea what you’re doing with Jotunheim; for all I know they could be here because you’ve agreed to use their guns and weapons, instead of Asgard’s. You could be double crossing us as we speak, and when I asked you for a clear answer as to why your mafia is allowing Jotunheim to stay in your region, you gave me a bullshit answer about our mobs being able to do whatever they want. So yes, my mob will do whatever it pleases, if that’s the tone you want to take with us.”

The room was silent then, with everyone on edge. Thor knew that his threat was deadly, but it was necessary. All of his points he brought up  _ were _ legitimate, and he knew that those of his mob would agree with what he was saying. More importantly, his family would be safe, and by doing this, he was killing two birds with one stone.

He would do whatever he had to do to make sure that his family was protected; even at the cost of his mob’s relations.

**༺♥༻**

To Loki’s relief, Frigga kept his pregnancy a secret. 

Now that she knew he was pregnant, she would send frequent texts throughout the day to check in on him, and would stop by every evening to cook dinner for him and Sleipnir. He’d been with Thor for almost three years by this point, so he was used to Frigga being like this, and found it endearing. He knew that the woman was only like this because of her past, and her way of showing love was through acts of service.

It was comforting to be doted upon like this, and it was even better to have a maternal figure in the life of not just him, but his son. The young alpha and Frigga loved each other to  _ pieces _ , and there wasn’t a single thing on this earth that Frigga wouldn’t do for them.

Tonight found them eating Frigga’s homemade stromboli, with Sleipnir sharing stories about his day at school. His friend Joo Won was over, so after dinner Loki sent them upstairs to play in Sleipnir’s room, wanting to clean up and lie down for a bit before Thor came home from his business trip.

“Loki dear, why don’t you go relax in the living room?” Suggested Frigga, taking the plates Loki collected out of his hands. “I’ll clean up.”

He still wasn’t feeling too well, but felt bad about leaving all the cleaning to Frigga. “Are you sure? I can help, Frigga.”

“No dear, I’ve got it,” Assured the woman, gathering the rest of the plates. “I’ll be out in the living room in a few minutes, and then we can chat.”

“But-”

“Loki, please rest,” Tutted Frigga, rubbing at his flat stomach affectionately. “I’ve got it.”

Loki knew that Frigga would continue to insist that he sit down, so he gave in and headed to the living room, turning on a mindless reality TV show. He couldn’t wait for Thor to be back, and found himself smiling at the thought of finally being able to fall asleep in the alpha’s arms again. It seemed like Thor had a rough business trip, as he sounded upset over the phone when Loki last spoke to him. He knew he couldn’t ask for details, but hoped that he’d be able to help the alpha feel better by being there for him in whatever way possible.

Frigga entered the room then and sat down next to him, rubbing a soothing hand on his thigh. “How are you feeling, Loki dear?”

“Tired,” Confessed Loki. “I was like this when I was pregnant with Sleipnir, too. Of course, I couldn’t rest, but…” Loki sighed then, looking away from Frigga’s understanding gaze. “I’m just grateful that I can enjoy this pregnancy.”

“Of course,” Murmured Frigga, a gentle look in her eyes. “I’m relieved that you’re able to enjoy this pregnancy, too. That’s why I’m here; I want you to be able to take full advantage of being in school, and doing whatever you can to be happy, Loki.”

Loki shot her a grateful smile. “Thank you, Frigga.”

Frigga nodded, reaching behind the couch and grabbing a blanket for herself and Loki. “How are your classes coming along?”

“Really good, actually,” Answered Loki. “I’m actually on the Dean’s List.”

Frigga’s eyes lit up, and she shot Loki a radiant grin, squeezing at his thigh. “Oh Loki, that is wonderful! We have to celebrate!”

“Maybe when I get further along in the pregnancy?” Suggested Loki. “We can celebrate the baby and how well I’m doing in school.”

“It wouldn’t be anything big,” Assured Frigga, her face pinched in a frown as she thought. “I can make your favorite dinner and dessert, and we’ll watch one of your favorite movies; how does this sound?”

“Like a dream I never want to wake out of,” Sighed Loki, relaxing into the couch. It was…  _ nice _ , being doted upon like this, and Loki couldn’t help but smile, wrapping the blanket around him more securely. “Why are you so nice to me, Frigga?”

Thor’s mother raised a confused eyebrow at him. “Do you want me to be mean?”

Loki shook his head fiercely, not wanting her to misunderstand. “No, no, no that’s not what I mean. I just… I just wonder what it is about me and my son that made you love us.”

Frigga’s face softened, and she scooted closer to Loki on the couch, pulling him in for a warm hug. “Because my son loves you, and you and your son are amazing people. You helped my son open his heart back up, and helped him love again. You escaped from your abusive ex-husband, and created a healthy and happy life for yourself and your son. You’ve fought all your life, Loki, and I know what that’s like. And I want nothing more than for you to just live your life with Thor and Sleipnir and this baby, and finally be happy.” She squeezed him extra hard then, kissing his crown. “Let me help you however I can, Loki. I  _ want _ to help.”

Loki hugged Frigga back just as tight, beginning to tear up. “Thank you Frigga.” His voice trembled then, and he pulled away so that he could wipe at his eyes, letting out a small laugh. “I-I’m sorry. I’m just not completely used to having people believe in me.”

Frigga had a sad smile on her face as she reached out to wipe at Loki’s tears. “I know, dear. I’ll tell you as many times as I have to that I care about you. Okay?”

“Yeah,” Murmured Loki, Frigga’s touch comforting him and offering a solace that he’d always craved for from a maternal figure. “Thank you, Frigga.”

The sound of the door opening interrupted their conversation, and Loki looked up as Thor entered their home, immediately getting happy. “Alpha!”

Thor was worried to see that Loki’s eyes were red from crying, and he rushed over to him, sitting down next to him on the couch and pulling him into a warm embrace. “Are you alright?”

Loki nodded, not wanting Thor to worry. “I was just speaking to your mother about my past. I’m alright.”

Thor hummed and kissed him, everything him in relaxing the second Loki’s lips touched his own. “Norns, I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” Murmured Loki, kissing him again and hugging him close. It felt so  _ good  _ to have Thor back in his arms, and he nestled into Thor’s neck, inhaling his scent and scenting him as well. “I missed you so much, alpha.”

Thor burrowed his face into the crook of Loki’s neck when Loki said this, inhaling the omega’s  _ heavenly _ scent and scenting him as also. “I know, I’m sorry, love… I didn’t mean to be gone so long.” 

His mother clearing her throat made him snap his eyes open, and he pulled away from Loki, a slight blush to his cheeks. “Hello, Mother…”

Frigga had a knowing twinkle in her eyes and stood up, shaking her head in mild amusement. “Hello, son. I’m happy to see that you’ve returned safely; I’ll go ahead and leave, now.” She rubbed at Loki’s back affectionately, as she moved to leave. “Call me if you need  _ anything, _ dear.”

“I will,” Answered Loki, smiling up at her. He knew that Sleipnir would be devastated if Frigga left without saying goodbye to him, so he cleared his throat, calling out to him. “Sleipnir! Nanna Frigga is going home!”

It took no more than two seconds for Sleipnir and Joo Won to come running down the stairs, and the young alpha launched himself into Frigga’s arms, hugging her waist and grinning up at her. “Bye, Nanna! I love you!”

“I love you too, sweetheart!” Gushed Frigga, ruffling Sleipnir’s hair and kissing his cheeks. “Nanna will see you, soon.” She waved goodbye at the family before leaving, promising that she’d be back to see them again within the week.

After Frigga left Sleipnir whirled around, getting excited all over again. “Papa!”

Thor laughed when Sleipnir jumped into his lap to hug him, and he wrapped his arms around the boy in a loving embrace, kissing his temple. “Hey, bud! How are you?”

“Great! I missed you, a lot a lot!” Answered Sleipnir, nestling into the crook of Thor’s neck and scenting him. “You said you’d only be gone a week, Papa…”

“I’m sorry, Sleipnir… Papa had a few things to take care of at work, and they took longer than expected.” He kissed Sleipnir’s temple again, rubbing at his back. “How about we go out and get some pizza tomorrow? Papa’s treat.”

“Can Joo Won come, too?” Asked Sleipnir, his eyes shining with hope. 

Thor looked down at Sleipnir and his best friend, pretending to think about it. “Sure; now let’s put you both to bed, boys. It’s getting late.” The boys groaned and begged to stay up late since it was Friday, so Thor looked over at Loki, wanting him to decide.

Loki honestly just wanted to sleep, but he figured he and Thor could enjoy some time together before putting the boys to sleep if they let them stay up a bit later. “Alright, you can stay up for an extra 30 minutes.”

The boys cheered, so Loki told them to go upstairs and play, looking at the time. It was 9:30, so he made a mental note to put the boys to bed at 10, and snuggled back against Thor, humming when the alpha wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer. “Norns, Thor, I missed you.”

Thor smiled when Loki wrapped an arm around him in turn, and kissed his temple, his stress melting away as Loki’s pheromones washed over him. “I missed you, too.” The pair sat in comfortable silence, just basking in each other’s comforting embrace. “When’s your next check-up?”

“In three weeks,” Murmured Loki, a soft smile on his face. “He said the baby’s development is on par with what they see in alpha babies, but… we truly won’t know until the second trimester.”

Thor moved to rub at Loki’s flat stomach, a loving smile on his face. “I can’t believe you’re pregnant.”

“Me either,” Murmured Loki, his hand on top of Thor’s. “This one will be so different…” He teared up as it hit him and bit at a lower lip, closing his eyes. “I saw them on the ultrasound, and I-I took a picture.” Loki pulled out his phone and showed Thor, continuing to cry. “I wasn’t even allowed to see Sleipnir when I was pregnant with him. My ex never took me to the doctor, he never let me get prenatal care, he just did everything he could to get me to miscarry.”

His voice broke at the memory, and he moved to cry in his hands, the pain of it just as raw as when it happened. “I felt so guilty getting pregnant with him, Thor! Every  _ day _ I wondered if my baby was okay, and felt like a piece of shit for being pregnant. I never got to see him on an ultrasound, I never got prenatal care, he beat me every fucking  _ day _ , and I felt so hopeless!” He let out a small whimper, shaking his head slowly. “I thank the Norns every day that there was nothing wrong with him, Thor.”

It broke Thor’s heart to hear about Loki’s past, and it just made him want to kill the bastard that did this to Loki and his son. “You did the best that you could do in that situation, Loki; you’re safe now.”

“I-I know,” Sniffed Loki, letting Thor wipe his tears away. “It just breaks my heart that Sleipnir has struggled in this life since the moment he got here, and it’s because of me!”

“No, no Loki, it isn’t because of you!” Assured Thor, kissing Loki’s crown. “Don’t say that, love. It’s not because of you.”

“But I-”

“Did the best that you could, given the circumstances that you were given.” Interrupted Thor, wiping away more of Loki’s tears. “You know that you did everything you possibly could, Loki… you’re safe, now. And you can enjoy this pregnancy… we’ll go to all the appointments, we’ll make sure you eat healthy, we’ll keep your stress down, and we’ll make sure that this is a good experience for you.” He placed a reassuring kiss against Loki’s lips, his thumbs wiping away at the rest of his tears. “Let’s enjoy this, Loki; together.”

Nodding, Loki pressed a warm kiss against Thor’s lips before nestling into the crook of his neck. “I love you.”

Thor kissed Loki’s temple again, holding him close. “I love you too, Loki.”

“I just don’t think you know how much I love you, alpha,” Murmured Loki, practically melting into Thor’s side. “You’ve changed our lives, and I’m so grateful. Every second that I wake up with you by my side I almost cry.”

Thor made a soft sound, beginning to emit calming pheromones. “And I don’t think you understand how much I love  _ you _ . You, Sleipnir, and this child are the best thing that has ever happened to me… you both forced your way into my heart when I thought that I would never love again, and you’ve given me the family I’ve always wanted.” He placed a loving kiss against Loki’s crown, rubbing at his side. “I’m thankful for you and Sleipnir, too.”

The pair sat in comfortable silence, each of them basking in the presence of each other. Thor wanted to tell Loki that he knew about his ex, but… he’d decided while he was away that he wouldn’t tell Loki. He believed that he had everything handled, and didn’t want the omega to worry. No, instead he kept this information to himself, knowing that it was the best thing to do for their family. He was confident that he’d done enough to protect Loki, and would stay followed up on Jotunheim’s movements. 

If Svadilfari took a single  _ step _ into Asgard’s region, he was as good as dead, and Thor had their men on the lookout, making sure that each and every single member of his mob knew what Svadilfari and his goons looked like. He’d be damned if the bastard tried to take Loki and Sleipnir back, and made a mental note to have some of his top men tail Loki at all times.

Of course, Loki wouldn’t know that he would do this, but… that was how things had to be.

“I think it’s time for the boys to head to bed,” Yawned Loki, pulling himself out of Thor’s embrace. “I want to take a bath before bed, also.”

Thor didn’t miss the look Loki shot him and pressed an intentful kiss against Loki’s jugular, his thumb rubbing at his hip. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you.”

“I didn’t know I gave you a choice,” Snorted Loki, shooting Thor a playful smirk as he stood. 

Thor slapped Loki’s ass in retaliation, standing up and laughing when Loki shot him a look of mild surprise. “I haven’t seen you in almost two weeks; I was joining that bath with you whether you liked it or not.”

Loki rolled his eyes and laughed as well, heading upstairs to Sleipnir’s room. “Sleipnir should stay in his room tonight since Joo Won’s here, so… we have plenty of time for us.”

Thor was looking forward to spending tonight with Loki, and followed him to Sleipnir’s room, getting happy when he heard giggling coming from the room of the boys. “Looks like they’re having fun.”

Knocking on the door, Loki waited for Sleipnir to call out to him before entering. “Sleipnir? Joo Won? It’s time to go to bed.”

The boys groaned, putting down their barbies and pouting.

“Come on, bedtime.” Repeated Loki, ushering for the boys to clean up. 

“Mommy, can you and Papa read us a bedtime story?” Asked Sleipnir, putting his barbies away like Loki asked.

“Of course, sweetheart. What bedtime story do you want to read tonight?” Asked Loki, heading over to Sleipnir’s bookshelf.

“Can we read this one?” Asked Joo Won, pulling out a book titled  _ The Lonely Boy _ . “I haven’t read this one yet.”

Loki pinched Joo Won’s cheek affectionately, gesturing for him and Sleipnir to follow him to Sleipnir’s bed. “Sure.”

Thor sat down at Sleipnir’s side and rubbed at him, his heart swelling with pride when the boy nestled into him. “Do you want me to read the book? Or Mommy?”

“You can read it,” Stated Sleipnir, accepting the book from Joo Won and handing it to Thor.

Taking the book, Thor opened it up, wondering why the boys wanted to read such a sad book. “‘Sam was a sad boy. Every day at recess, nobody wanted to play with him, and in class, no one wanted to be his friend.”’ He frowned and looked down at the boys, who were looking up at him expectantly. “Boys, do you really want to read this?”

The boys nodded, so Thor shot Loki a look and opened the book back up, beginning to read it again. “‘One day, Sam came home from school and began to cry, wondering why nobody liked him. Sam’s mother kissed his cheek and hugged him, letting him know that if he wished really hard on a shooting star for a friend, one would come.’”

“‘So before going to bed at night, Sam looked out his window, happy when he saw a shooting star. Closing his eyes, he begged the shooting star for a friend, and went to sleep, dreaming of all the fun he and his new friend would have. When Sam went to school the next morning, he was sad to see that things were still the same; that no one was talking to him, and that no one wanted to be his friend.’”

“‘Suddenly, the door to his classroom opened, and a new boy walked into his class, as nervous as he could be. The boy introduced himself to the class, and said his name was Ryan. The only empty desk in the room was next to Sam, so Sam widened his eyes when the boy sat next to him and smiled. ‘Hi!’, greeted Ryan. ‘I’m Ryan! What’s your name?’”

“‘My name’s Sam,’ said Sam, quite shy. Sam was shocked when Ryan continued to talk to him, and he realized that wishing on a star worked! He’d been sent a friend! Ryan and Sam talked all throughout class, and even played together at recess. And for the first time in his life, Sam wasn’t lonely; he had a friend.’” Thor finished the story then, relieved that it didn’t end sad. “What did you think of the story, boys?”

“It was sad,” Answered Joo Won, a downcast look on his face. “But I’m happy that he found a friend; just like I found Sleipnir!”

Loki raised an eyebrow at the boy, curious to hear more. “What do you mean, Joo Won?”

“I didn’t have any friends when I went to school, and Mommy told me to pray to the Norns for a friend, and I did, and then the next day Sleipnir came!” Shared the boy, grinning at Sleipnir. “He’s my best friend!”

“You’re my best friend too, Joo Won!” Declared Sleipnir, reaching over Loki to hug the boy. “You’re my best friend in the  _ whole _ world!”

Joo Won giggled, a bashful look on his face. “You’re my best friend in the whole world too, Sleipnir!”

Loki and Thor’s hearts absolutely  _ melted _ at the confessions, their hearts swelling with pride. Loki leaned down to kiss Sleipnir’s temple and ruffled Joo Won’s hair then, wanting them to go to bed. “Alright, boys, let’s tuck you in.”

Sleipnir and Joo Won crawled under the covers, grabbing their teddy bears and giggling when Loki kissed them goodnight. “I’ll see you both in the morning.”

“‘Kay!” Chirped the boys, nestling into bed.

Thor kissed Sleipnir goodnight and ruffled Joo Won’s hair before leaving, turning off the light to the room. “Goodnight, boys.” Closing the door, Thor followed Loki down the hall to their room, immediately loosening his tie. “Norns, it’s been a long day.”

“How long have you been up?” Asked Loki, a worried look on his face.

“I’ve been up for 36 hours,” Sighed Thor, yawning into his hand. 

Loki widened his eyes in concern, immediately moving to help Thor undress. “We can have fun tomorrow, Thor. Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

Thor wanted to protest, but now that he was in his room, it was like all of his energy left him. “I’m sorry, Loki.”

Loki shook his head quickly, not wanting Thor to worry. “It’s alright, alpha.” He grabbed Thor a set of night clothes and handed them to him, climbing into bed together once Thor was changed. “I’m so glad you’re home, Thor.”

  
  


“Yeah,” Murmured the alpha, pulling Loki into his arms. “Me too.” He kissed Loki’s crown before rubbing at his side, catching his attention. “Loki?”

Loki hummed softly, looking up at him expectantly.

“I have two questions, omega.” Began Thor, reaching into the pocket of his night pants. “Here; this is for you, love.”

Loki took the black box that Thor handed him and held it in his hands, confused. “What is this?”

“Open it.”

Loki reached over Thor to turn on the lamp and settled back into bed, opening the box. His eyes bulged out of his head when he saw what was in it, and he inhaled sharply, his heart racing. “Alpha…”

Laughing softly, Thor sat up in bed and kissed him, his thumb caressing his cheek as he stared into his beautiful, sage green eyes. “I love you, Loki. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you, Sleipnir, and our child.” He kissed him again, beginning to grin when Loki’s lips stretched across his face in a brilliant smile. “Marry me, Loki…”

Loki had cried so much today, and while he didn’t like crying, he believed that this situation warranted it. “Oh my Norns!”

Thor waited for Loki’s answer, the anticipation  _ killing _ him. “Well?”

“Of fucking  _ course _ I’ll marry you!” Cried Loki, throwing his arms around Thor and laughing into the crook of his neck. “Yes, yes,  _ yes _ I’ll marry you!”

Thor wrapped his arms around Loki in a loving embrace, admittedly tearing up, too. “Norns, you scared the hell out of me, omega.”

Loki admittedly let out a squeal in excitement, pulling away to look at the ring again. “Norns, Thor! It’s lovely!” Male engagement rings were a lot broader in width when compared to engagement rings for women, and the ring that Thor had picked out for him was  _ perfect _ . There was a single, tear-shaped, large diamond in its center, and upon closer inspection, Loki realized that Thor had the inside of the ring engraved with their anniversary. “ _ Alpha… _ ”

“Let me put it on you,” Murmured Thor, taking Loki’s left hand and kissing his knuckles. Loki handed him the ring, so Thor slid it onto Loki’s left ring finger, kissing him again. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Responded Loki, placing round after round of kisses against Thor’s lips. “Norns! I can’t believe you actually proposed to me!”

Thor gently took the black box out of Loki’s hands and set it on their nightstand, turning off the lamp and settling back down into bed with Loki. “I couldn’t go to sleep without doing that.”

Loki was practically buzzing with excitement and hugged Thor tightly, kissing him again. “What was your second question? It’ll be hard to top that one.”

“I think you’ll be surprised,” Murmured Thor, stroking at Loki’s cheek with his thumb. “I want to adopt Sleipnir.”

“...What?”

Placing a loving kiss against Loki’s lips, Thor smiled at him, wiping at the tears that were falling from his eyes. “I want to adopt Sleipnir.”

Loki couldn’t help but cry then, and he clung to Thor tightly, weeping into his chest. “You really want to adopt him?”

“I do,” Assured Thor, rubbing soothing circles into Loki’s back. “It will complete our family.”

Loki continued to cry about this, overcome with joy. Thor saying this was  _ huge _ , because it meant that he was becoming Sleipnir’s other legal parent. Even if they broke up, Thor would still be considered Sleipnir’s legal parent if he did this, and it melted Loki’s heart to know that Thor was offering to do this, even though there was no guarantee that they wouldn’t break up.

The alpha was doing this because he truly  _ loved _ Sleipnir, and it was knowing this that made Loki a sopping mess. All he’d ever wanted was someone that could love him and his son, and he’d found it in Thor. “Fuck, why are you so  _ perfect _ ?” Wept Loki, still overwhelmed with emotion.

“I’m not perfect,” Chuckled Thor, looking away with a sad smile on his face. “If you knew what I did this week, you wouldn’t be saying that.”

Loki rolled his eyes, shooting Thor a disapproving look. “I know you kill people, Thor. I know that you sell weapons. I know that you participate in money laundering, extortion, arms trafficking, and a million and one other things; that doesn’t change how I feel about you.” He placed a loving, reassuring kiss against Thor’s lips, not wanting him to worry. “I love  _ you _ , alpha; and that means everything that comes with you.”

Thor relaxed in Loki’s arms, nestling his face into Loki’s hair and inhaling his wonderful scent. “I love you too, Loki… and I’m not asking to adopt Sleipnir because of our proposal… I’m asking because I truly want to be his father.”

“You can ask him,” Murmured Loki, Thor’s warm embrace making him feel sleepy. “And I know he’ll say yes.”

Thor smiled at the thought of the shock and surprise that would be on Sleipnir’s face when he asked him, knowing in his heart that he really wanted the boy to say yes. Of course, he wouldn’t pressure Sleipnir to agree, but… it would hurt him if Sleipnir said no.

Thor loved Loki and Sleipnir, and he always would, regardless of what happened between them. The pair meant everything to him, and he wanted to do whatever it took to not just protect them, but keep them happy.

  
**༺♥༻**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> So this is something that I'm most likely going to implement on all my chapters, but I've started to write shorter chapters, beginning with this one. I'll most likely keep my chapters between 4-6k words, because that's much easier on me, and helps me get out chapters quicker, not just for this story, but for all of my stories that I'm currently working on.


	15. Sexy Times!

**༺♥༻**

Waking up in Thor’s arms was something Loki would never get tired of. 

Everytime Thor left, Loki felt like a piece of him was missing, and when Thor returned, he found that he felt complete. The alpha was an integral figure in his life, and he loved him deeply. Knowing that Thor wanted to adopt his son made him love the alpha even more, and he squeezed him tight and nestled his face underneath Thor’s chin, grinning proudly when the alpha placed a warm kiss against his temple.

Never in a million years did he ever think he’d be able to experience this level of happiness, and he let out an elated laugh when he felt Thor hug him just as tight, the memory of Thor’s proposal still fresh on their minds. “Good morning.”

Thor smiled down at Loki, the omega’s smile as radiant as the morning sun. “Norns, you’re stunning.”

The compliment caused Loki’s cheeks to color in embarrassment, and he closed his eyes when Thor leaned in to kiss him, his thumb stroking at the alpha’s beard. “Do you have to work, today?”

“I’ll meet up with my father for dinner later around 8, and should be home around 9 or 10,” Answered Thor. “You and Sleipnir have me for the rest of the day.”

“Great,” Murmured Loki, unable to do anything but get lost in Thor’s deep, sea blue eyes.

The pair were interrupted when their bedroom door burst open, and Sleipnir and Joo Won ran in, flinging themselves onto the massive bed and beginning to jump. “We’re hungry!” Began Sleipnir, jumping up and down to wake Thor and Loki up more. Joo Won chanted right along with him, jumping up and down on their bed.

Loki shot Thor an amused look and snorted, rolling over in bed and sitting up. “Alright, alright, boys. What do you want to eat?”

“Can we have waffles?” Asked Joo Won, his beautiful brown eyes shining with hope.

“Yeah, can we have waffles?” Echoed Sleipnir, climbing into Thor’s lap and looking up at him much like a puppy begging for a treat.

“Sure,” Yawned Thor, ruffling Sleipnir’s hair. “Strawberry waffles it is.”

The boys cheered and jumped off of their bed to run out of the room and down the stairs, each of them shouting about how hungry they were and how many waffles they would eat.

“Norns,” Chuckled Loki, getting out of bed and stretching before standing. “What are we going to do with them?”

Thor just laughed and climbed out of bed as well, following Loki out of their bedroom and downstairs to their kitchen. Sleipnir had already dug around in the cabinet and retrieved the waffle maker, and Joo Won had opened the pantry, grabbing the waffle mix and setting it on the counter.

Loki and Thor grabbed the rest of the ingredients and grabbed the step stools for the boys, beginning to make the batter and letting the young boys help stir. Strawberries were added in, and once the boys were satisfied they each took turns pouring waffles into the waffle maker, helping Thor and Loki make bacon and eggs to go with the waffles.

Breakfast was a fun event, and after eating Joo Won’s mother came to pick him up, which made Sleipnir sad. He and Joo Won were together every second of every day it seemed, and while they did have other friends, they were still each other’s best friend, which made Loki happy. This was all he’d ever wanted for his son, and seeing his son finally able to live a life like a normal child was the greatest blessing.

Sleipnir wanted to spend time with Thor now that the alpha was home, so the family sat down in their living room and turned on one of the young alpha’s favorite tv shows, enjoying their time together.

On a commercial break Thor decided that it would be a good time to ask Sleipnir if he wanted him to adopt him, and rubbed at his side, catching the boy’s attention. “Sleipnir?”

“Yeah?”

“Papa and Mommy want to talk to you about something.”

Sleipnir nodded, looking up at Thor expectantly.

“So… I’m your papa, right?” Began Thor, choosing his words carefully.

“Yeah…”

“Well, Papa is wondering if you want me to become your Papa legally…”

Sleipnir furrowed his brow, obviously confused. “You’re not my papa?”

Loki took over then, running a soothing hand through Sleipnir’s hair. “Right now, Daddy is still your legal father. Papa is asking if you want him to replace Daddy, so that he can be your legal father.”

Sleipnir blinked a few times in confusion, trying to understand. “So Papa can become my real Daddy?”

“Yes,” Nodded Thor, looking down at the boy. “I’m asking if you would like to officially become my son.”

The _biggest_ grin spread across Sleipnir’s face, and he began to giggle, nodded eagerly. “Yeah! I wanna be your real son!”

A wave of relief flooded through Thor, and he pulled the young alpha into his arms, kissing his temple. “Thank you, Sleipnir.”

Sleipnir hugged him back, climbing into Thor’s lap and nestling his face into the crook of Thor’s neck, scenting him. “How do you become my real Daddy?”

“I have to sign some paperwork and pay some money to the government,” Murmured Thor, absolutely loving the relationship they now had. He kissed the boy’s temple again, squeezing him extra tight and making the boy giggle. “Then we wait a few weeks, and the government will send me a letter letting us know that we’re officially father and son.”

“‘Kay!” Chirped the young boy, letting go of Thor and settling himself into the alpha’s lap. “Then we can throw a party!”

“Of course,” Laughed Thor, shooting the boy a warm look. Sleipnir pulling his arms around him so that he was hugging him made Thor even happier, and once Loki nestled into his side Thor felt like he was complete.

**༺♥༻**

Loki and Thor submitted the application for Thor to become Sleipnir’s legal father, and he was _so_ thankful that he and Sleipnir had recreated their identities with Hogun all those years ago. According to the government, Sleipnir’s father never showed up to his birth, and could not be tracked down, which constituted “abandonment” when they were filling out the application.

The application let them know that it would take about one to two months before they found out if they were approved, so the family enjoyed their time together throughout the weeks as they waited for the letter letting them know that Thor had been approved to be Sleipnir’s new, legal parent.

Once it was Loki’s 12 week appointment, he found himself getting excited all over again about the pregnancy, as he would finally be able to share the experience with Thor. Now that he was 12 weeks along, he had an adorable bump, and seeing how fascinated Thor was by it made this pregnancy even better.

The pair dropped Sleipnir off at school and made their way over to Loki’s OBGYN, signing in and waiting to be called back to a room. Thor was nervous -it had been a little over a decade since he was in a place like this- and found that he was restless, bouncing his leg up and down in the waiting room chair.

A gentle hand on his thigh made him look up, and he smiled softly when he saw the look Loki was giving him, seeing the excitement in his eyes. “I’m alright, Loki. I’m just nervous…”

“It’s alright, I’m nervous too,” Murmured Loki, gently squeezing at Thor’s thigh. “But I’m happy, too; I’m glad that you’re able to be here with me.”

Thor reached out and caressed Loki’s cheek, not wanting him to worry. “I’ll be fine, omega. It’s just… it’s been about 12 years since I’ve been in a place like this.” He looked away then, feeling a bit sad. 

Loki knew that Thor was talking about the child that he lost all those years ago, and he hummed softly, continuing to rub soothingly into the alpha’s thigh. “I’m sorry, alpha…”

The last thing Thor wanted to do was taint this memory, so he shook his head and placed a loving kiss against Loki’s lips. “It’s alright, omega. We’re here to make new memories, together.”

Before Loki could respond, a nurse called out for them to follow her back to a room, so they stood hand in hand, following her back. After answering all of her questions, Loki sat down on the examination table, unbuttoning his pants and revealing his stomach when the doctor entered.

“Hello, Loki,” Greeted his OBGYN, shaking Thor’s hand. “Is this the father?”

“Yes,” Murmured Loki, shooting Thot a proud smile. “This is my fiance.”

“Wonderful; it’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” 

Thor nodded and moved out of the way, standing behind Loki and taking his hand as the OBGYN prepared the ultrasound machine. They smiled at each other before looking at the screen, and Thor let out a joyous laugh when the OBGYN placed the probe on Loki’s stomach, and he finally saw their child.

He quickly looked back down at Loki to see the omega’s face, and leaned over to kiss him again and again, feeling unsurmountable happiness spread throughout him as he teared up. “Thank you, Loki.”

Loki met Thor for a flurry of kisses, and let out an excited laugh, wiping at Thor’s tears. It touched him to see Thor so emotional about this, and he brought Thor’s knuckles to his lips, kissing them and letting him know that he loved him before they turned their attention back to the screen.

It was amazing to see their baby like this, moving its toes, and kicking within Loki. Thor was in awe and watched the screen intensely, unable to stop smiling. “Norns… look at them.” His eyes were transfixed on the moving baby, and he wiped at his eyes again as more tears welled in them, feeling insurmountable love bloom within his heart for this baby that wasn’t even here yet.

“Everything looks wonderful, Mom and Dad,” Murmured the OBGYN, taking snapshots and measurements. “I know I shouldn’t say this because it’s still too early to tell, but I think this will be an above average size alpha infant.”

“How soon can we know the sexes of the child?” Asked Thor, eyes still glued to the ultrasound screen.

“When Loki comes in for his 20 week scan, we’ll do a scan of the baby’s body to make sure that there aren’t any physical abnormalities with the child, and during that scan, we can tell both sexes of the child.” Answered Loki’s OBGYN. “I’m about to turn the ultrasound off, but I will print pictures for you both.”

It made Thor sad to see the image of their child fade away when the screen turned off, and he looked back down at Loki, the radiant joy pouring from the omega absolutely contagious. He leaned over and placed a sweet, loving kiss against Loki’s lips, his thumb caressing Loki’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Murmured Loki, kissing Thor again. It made him ecstatic to see how happy Thor was about the pregnancy, and he thanked the Norns again for this experience being so different this time around.

“Alright Loki, I’ll need to see you back in 4 weeks for your 16 week check-up.” Began his OBGYN. “Everything looks great with the baby’s development. You’re out of the 1st trimester, so if you haven’t told people you’re pregnant yet, you can begin telling them now.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Responded Loki, sitting up and wiping off the ultrasound jelly from his stomach. “We’ll see you then.”

Once the doctor left Thor leaned forward to plant another loving kiss against Loki’s lips, feeling more jovial than he had in a long time. “Are you busy, today?”

Loki shook his head, staring up into Thor’s eyes and smiling. “No, I don’t have class today.” He closed his eyes when Thor kissed him again, humming against his lips. “Why?”

“Let’s spend the day together,” Suggested Thor, hands moving to rest comfortably on Loki’s hips. “It’s been awhile since I’ve taken you out on a date.”

Loki found himself blushing at the sweet suggestion, and hooked his fingers into the belt loops on the front of Thor’s pants, grinning up at him and biting at his lower lip. “What do you have in mind?”

“Let’s go out for brunch, first.” Began Thor, his thumb coming to stroke at Loki’s bottom lip. “Maybe we can get some things for the baby? We can walk around the town center nearby, and then get home in enough time to enjoy each other before we have to leave and pick up Sleipnir.” 

“I think that sounds like a perfect day,” Murmured Loki, smirking up at Thor. He laughed when Thor leaned over to kiss him again and hummed, rubbing at his sides. “I have a taste for Brazilian.” 

“Then Brazilian it is,” Responded Thor, helping Loki off of the examination table. It made him happy to be able to spend time with Loki like this, and as they left Loki’s OBGYN, his mind drifted to their child, and how it would be once they arrived.

Thoughts of his father did enter his mind as he drove them to a nearby Brazilian restaurant, and he could only hope that Odin would receive news of Sleipnir’s adoption, Loki’s pregnancy, and his engagement, without getting too upset. 

He didn’t want to think about his father though, and wanted to enjoy this day with the person he loved most in this life. He’d figure out how to break the news to his father, later.

**༺♥༻**

After getting brunch and walking around the town center in the area, Thor and Loki made their way home, eager to have some fun before they left to go get Sleipnir from school. They set their bags from the day in the kitchen, and shot each other playful glances. It’d been some time since they’d had the house to themselves, and Loki found himself unable to hold back the illicit thoughts in his head.

Thor’s thoughts mirrored Loki’s -he was sure of it- and he looped an arm around Loki’s waist when the omega poured himself some water, kissing at his scent gland on his neck. “We have about an hour before we have to leave to get Sleipnir.”

Loki closed his eyes and smiled as Thor kissed him here, setting down his glass. “I was thinking we could do it here.”

“In the kitchen?”

Loki turned in Thor’s arms, nipping at his lower lip playfully and moving his hand to the front of Thor’s pants to stroke at him. “Why not?”

The look Loki was shooting him was a look of confidence; a look so daring, Thor was awed that he could stare at him like this. The Loki of three years ago wouldn’t have stared at him like this. The Loki of three years ago would have been too ashamed and scared of his past to openly display want or need to the alpha.

Being right here in this moment just reminded Thor of how much Loki had grown since they got together, and he gave him a proud smirk in return, his hands coming to rest on the omega’s hips. “Where?”

Loki was happy that Thor was interested in being kinky and reached out, his hand grazing their island counter in the center of their kitchen. “Here.” He had a hungry look in his eyes, and he was elated that Thor’s gaze mirrored his own. Shifting out of Thor’s hold, Loki rested against the side of the counter, unbuttoning button by button on his shirt with one hand, simultaneously taking Thor’s hand and moving it to his neck, where his scent gland was. 

They couldn’t bond because he was pregnant, but he was looking forward to the moment when he’d have a heat, and they would be able to bond. Thor kissing and sucking at him would have to do though, and he breathed in slow when the alpha did just that, his large hands gripping at his slim waist and pulling him closer into his embrace.

Thor’s tongue was hungry against his skin, licking at his jugular and sucking at it, his teeth barely grazing the gland and causing Loki to shudder. The omega ran his hands up and along his fiance’s side, his fingers tugging at his shirt in a subtle ask to do more, to let go, to do everything he’d been holding back from doing.

Thor had always been scared to be rough with Loki, or commander any of their sex, because of Loki’s past. Right now though, it seemed like the omega was wanting him to do just that, so… he did.

He growled low in his throat and finally allowed his lust-laden pheromones to permeate the room, seeing the almost instantaneous change in Loki. The omega shuddered as he inhaled Thor’s pheromones of intense want and desire, and he released his own, his speaking of the desire to just be taken and treasured.

When their lips finally crashed together lightning went down their spines, and they devoured each other, ravenous kisses being spurred on by the pheromones continuing to pour from them. Each kiss was hungry and more intense than the last, and when Thor moved to grind into Loki’s pelvis, the omega tightened his hold on Thor’s shirt, pulling him in closer, and letting out a breathless laugh when Thor’s kisses moved back to his neck, the pull against his scent gland by Thor’s lips and tongue causing his head to whirl.

Thor undid the remaining buttons of Loki’s shirt, and stripped it off of him, marveling at the omega’s flushed, bare skin, at his panting chest, at his adorable stomach that carried their child, and he grinned, his lips connecting back with Loki’s for an impassioned kiss.

Loki gasped or sighed softly when Thor’s hands moved to play with his sensitive chest, the alpha continuing to rut up and into him slowly. Every time their clothed erections rubbed against each other, Loki was biting a lower lip or squeezing his eyes shut, and he reached down between them, quickly unbuttoning and unzipping their pants, lowering the waistband of their underwear and allowing their erections to spring free.

His alpha was so much larger than him, and his mouth began to salivate at the thought of sucking the alpha off. It was something they didn’t really do -he’d been forced to so much in his past, and Thor wasn’t too keen on making him remember his past during their sex- but he felt like this was something that he was ready for.

Gently pushing the alpha away, Loki crouched down low and took Thor’s massive, alpha cock in his hand, kissing at the thick, bulbous head as he languidly stroked at his length, gripping him here just how he knew his alpha liked it.

Thor was worried about Loki doing this and shot him a worried glance, running his hand through his omega’s silken, raven hair as he looked up at him.

Loki didn’t want Thor to worry, and relaxed his throat and jaw, more and more of the alpha’s impressive length gliding across his tongue and into his mouth. He took his time to get to the point where he could swallow around Thor, and once he got there he let out a gutteral groan, grasping at the alpha’s hips and encouraging him to fuck his face.

Thor widened his eyes in shock, in complete disbelief that Loki was wanting him to do this. “Loki…”

The alpha’s cock slid out of his mouth with a lecherous pop, and Loki continued to stroke at him, the look in his eyes something that Thor had never seen before. “Please… I’ll be okay.” Loki kissed the head of Thor’s cock again, not wanting him to worry. “Just fuck me, I’ll be fine.”

Thor still wasn’t too sure but managed to offer Loki a wary nod, moaning when Loki’s lips parted and engulfed his length again. He ran his fingers through his omega’s hair and rutted into him, loving the feeling of Loki’s throat constricting around him. He knew that he wasn’t small by any means, and seeing Loki swallow him with ease turned him on more than he ever thought it would.

Reaching out, Thor placed a wary hand on the back of Loki’s head, and moved him further onto his cock, beginning to bob his head up and down. _“Fuck, Norns, Loki…”_ He groaned, his eyes fluttering closed as he began to fuck Loki’s face.

The omega’s hands were splayed on either side of his hips, and he hummed around Thor’s cock, his eyes falling shut as Thor continued to shove him onto his cock. His right hand moved up to roll Thor’s testes, and hearing his alpha let out an impassioned moan made him feel proud of himself for causing the man such pleasure.

Grabbing at Loki’s hair more tightly, he forced the omega to take as much of his cock as he could without choking, the omega’s velvety tongue and throat drawing his climax out of him. He tried to pull away before he came but Loki stopped him, his fingers digging into the sides of Thor’s pants, and forcing him to stay put.

He watched in awe as Loki swallowed everything that pumped out of him -alphas always produced more semen than betas and omegas- and slowly pulled him off of him, wiping at the drool on the corner of his mouth. “Norns…”

He reached down to pick the omega up, and sat him on the island counter, wanting to make sure that Loki was truly okay. Every time Loki blew him it always made Loki remember his past, so Thor was worried that him doing what he did hurt Loki. “Omega?”

“I’m fine,” Muttered Loki, wiping at his lips again. “I’m fine, I swear. I just… I wanted to do that.” He looked up at Thor then, worried that the alpha didn’t want to continue. “Are you okay?”

Thor searched Loki’s gaze for sometime before nodding, still coming down from the high of his orgasm. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He stroked at Loki’s lower lip and leaned forward, kissing him. “Thank you, for doing that.”

The made a relieved smile spread across Loki’s face, and he nodded, kissing Thor again before moving to kiss at the alpha’s neck. “Don’t forget about me…”

Thor snorted, reaching down to strip Loki of his pants and underwear. “Like I ever could.” Tossing the omega’s pants and underwear to the floor, Thor traced kisses down Loki’s neck, his chest, his adorably round stomach, and to his erect length, urging Loki to lie back onto the counter.

The omega did just that, letting out a soft sigh when Thor maneuvered a thick digit into his slickened entrance, spreading himself so that Thor had better access to him. He looked down and ran his fingers through Thor’s golden hair when the alpha licked at him, and he breathed out and relaxed, controlling the movements of the alpha’s head as he bobbed on his dick.

It always amazed him that Thor was willing to do this -all the alphas he’d been with in the past scoffed at the mere idea of pleasuring their omega this way- and he arched in Thor’s hold as the alpha snuck another thick digit into him, the head of his cock being stroked by the back of Thor’s throat. “ _Mnh! That feels good!”_ He breathed, bucking his hips up into Thor’s sweet, inviting warmth before grinding them down on the alpha’s fingers. _“Another, alpha!”_

Listening to his omega, Thor slid a third and final finger into Loki, stroking at him and swallowing around his cock, absolutely loving the sounds of Loki’s stuttered gasps or sharp inhales. He knew that Loki liked to be fucked right after climaxing, so he ran his fingers along the length of Loki’s prostate, stroking it and stimulating it until Loki was writhing in his arms, his hips spasming erratically as he finally came.

He swallowed and sat up, wiping at his lips and staring down at him with a predatory look. Throughout the years of dating Loki he’d gotten used to holding back, and while he was slowly learning to lessen his restraint, there was always a part of him that feared he would hurt Loki if he released it.

Loki was staring up at him though with want, with need, with a desire to be loved and held and treated like he was prized above all else, like he was someone that could make him lose all of his rationality, and… and for Thor, he was.

He studied Loki’s face for sometime before leaning over to kiss him, the omega thrusting his tongue into his mouth to steal his own for an intrepid kiss. It was this kiss, a kiss free of fear or restraint, that let Thor know it was okay to let go with Loki.

Grabbing roughly at the omega’s hip, Thor flipped him over and forced him down onto the counter, grabbing at his hair and nipping at the shell of his ear with his teeth. “You never cease to amaze me, omega.”

Loki inhaled deeply and shuddered in Thor’s hold, arching onto his toes as Thor pushed into him. It had taken him a long time to get used to Thor’s massive length, and he whimpered and let out a broken moan when Thor began to stroke at the place deep with him, the drag of his walls on the alpha’s cock causing his head to swirl. _“Mnh! A-Alpha! Alpha!”_

Thor sucked at Loki’s scent gland furiously as he fucked him slowly, Loki’s puckered entrance spasming around him as he stroked at the omega from within. _“Do you like that?”_

_“Y-Yes!_ ” Gasped Loki, arching under Thor and spreading his legs so that the alpha had easier access to him.

_“What else do you want me to do to you?”_ Groaned Thor, his voice heavy and laden with _want_.

“ _Grab my hip!”_ Gasped Loki, moaning when Thor gripped him there. _“Rest on top of me!”_

Thor listened and rested his full weight on Loki, holding him in place as he slammed his hips into him. The scent pouring from the omega was like _sin_ , and Thor groaned as he inhaled their scents, Loki clenching around him as he grunted or panted in his ear.

He let go of Loki’s hair and gripped the base of his skull, turning him so that he could press an impassioned kiss against his lips. The sound of skin slapping against skin resonated throughout the kitchen, the wet squelches of their lovemaking causing their cocks to throb.

_“Put me on the counter!”_ Begged Loki, trembling when Thor pulled out of him and helped him up onto the counter. Once he was on his back his alpha leaned back over him and fucked him senseless, throwing Loki’s left leg over his shoulder and wrapping his arms around it so that he could fuck him deeper, at a better angle.

Loki cried out when he felt Thor like this, and arched up from the counter, his cries getting louder and louder as Thor continued to snap his hips into him at a bruising pace. _“Fuck! Fuck, a-alpha!”_

His omega clenched down around him as he came, and Thor groaned, pumping his hips intently into Loki as he felt that familiar sensation well from within, his cum pushing its way into Loki.

The pair gasped from the after shocks of climaxing, their hearts beating in their chests as they panted to catch their breaths.

Leaning over, Thor pressed a warm kiss against Loki’s lips, his thumb rubbing at his omega’s cheek. “Alright?”

“Amazing,” Breathed Loki, a look of pure bliss in his eyes. “Fuck, that was amazing.” He let out a breathless laugh as he sat up, and ran a hand through his hair, loving the feeling of being sated from sex. “If I wasn’t pregnant now, that surely would’ve done it.”

Thor snorted, bending over to grab Loki’s underwear and pants for him. “That was really nice.”

“I sort of wanna go again,” Murmured Loki, shooting Thor a hopeful look.

Thor looked at his watch, seeing that they had about 15 minutes to get to Sleipnir’s school. “Sleipnir gets out in 15 minutes; we’re actually running late.” He grabbed some paper towels for Loki and cleaned him up, pressing a loving kiss against his lips when he was done. “We’ll have some more fun tonight.”

“I’m holding you to that,” Muttered Loki, pressing a kiss full of intent against his lips. 

The pair kissed a few more times before Thor pulled away, tucking himself back into his underwear and zipping himself up. “I love you.”

Loki’s gaze softened, and he smiled at the alpha, pure adoration in his gaze. “I love you too.”

  
  
**༺♥༻**   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo!!! What did yall think of the spice! I took your recommendations and tried my best with that sex scene. I'm also terribly sorry about the lack of updates with this. I currently have 4 fanfictions that are current that I am working on, on archive, and I am trying to finish 3 of them before the end of 2020. I ALSO have like... 20-30 Thorki fanfictions in my personal files that I work on from time to time, that aren't yet ready to be posted, but I still like to revisit and work on when I have an idea. AND I'm in school and working so... yea... 
> 
> But yall are so awesome, thanks for being so understanding and patient with me with this story!
> 
> I do have other stories I've written about Thorki that are completed, that were not collaborative projects like this one was, on my profile, if any of you wanted to take a look :3
> 
> PRAYING that I'll have the next chapter written in like 2ish weeks *fingers crossed.


	16. You Can Run, But You Can't Hide...

༺♥༻

After rushing out of the house to get Sleipnir, Thor and Loki sped to his school, hoping that they weren’t too late. They luckily got there right on time, and waited in the car rider line, giving the school attendant the name of their son.

It made Thor happy to know that he’d legally be Sleipnir’s father any day now, and he grinned when he heard the attendant speak into the walkie talkie that he had, letting the other school attendants know that Sleipnir’s parents were here. It was the knowledge that he would actually be Sleipnir’s parent, and that the people of this school already viewed him as the boy’s father, that really put a pep in his step, and made him smile a bit more each day.

He drove up in the line and parked his car, he and Loki both waving when Sleipnir spotted them. The boy’s eyes lit up when he saw them, and the pair turned around to smile at their son as Sleipnir got into the car, strapping on his seatbelt. “Hey, bud!” Greeted Thor, grinning at the young alpha. “How was school?”

“Good!” Chirped Sleipnir, meeting Loki for a kiss before settling back into his seat. “My team won at kickball today, so the teacher ordered pizza for us!”

“That  _ does _ sound like fun,” Agreed Thor, thanking the school attendant before driving forward, and leaving the school. “Do you have any homework tonight?”

“Yeah,” Grumbled Sleipnir, an annoyed look on his face. “I have a math test tomorrow. Can you help me study?”

Thor was meeting with his father tonight, and hummed, figuring he would just push back the meeting. “Sure thing, bud. How about an hour of playtime when you get home, and then we’ll get started?”

“What about snack time?” Questioned Sleipnir, not wanting Thor to forget.

“I’ll fix you a snack when we get home, sweetheart,” Answered Loki. “After snack time, you get an hour of free time, and then you’ll need to start on your homework.”

“‘Kay!” Agreed the boy, pulling out his tablet and playing a game while they drove home.

Once they got home Sleipnir dropped his bag on the kitchen floor and ran to sit at the barstool in front of the counter, humming a tune from one of his cartoon shows. “Mommy, can I have ants on a log?”

Loki nodded, reaching into their refrigerator to grab celery sticks and raisins. He smiled and pressed a warm kiss in thanks against Thor’s lips when the alpha handed him the peanut butter. “You have to hurry and finish your homework, baby. You have taekwondo tonight.”

“I know, I have to hurry so that I can see Joo Won!” Stated Sleipnir, eagerly watching Loki fixing his snack. “Can I spend the night at Joo Won’s house?”

Loki hummed, looking over at Thor and raising an eyebrow at him. “Alpha?”

“Let’s call Mrs. Kim and ask her,” Suggested Thor, looking over at Loki. “I don’t think she’ll have an issue with it. If she says yes, then you can spend the night.”

Sleipnir’s eyes were back on Loki then, beginning to beg him. “Can you call her, Mommy?”

Snorting softly, Loki nodded, giving Sleipnir his snack before pulling out his phone to call Joo Won’s mother. 

The phone rang a few times before the cheery woman answered, always happy to speak to Loki. “Hi, Loki!”

“Hey, Seo Yoon!” Greeted Loki, looking back over at Sleipnir and laughing to himself. “Sleipnir was wondering if he could spend the night after taekwondo practice tonight.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Assured Seo Yoon. “We’ll drop him off at school in the morning.”

Seo Yoon and her husband were always so helpful, so Loki hummed in relief, thanking her. “Norns, you're a lifesaver.”

Seo Yoon snorted, amusement rising in her voice. “My husband and I are celebrating our anniversary next week… would you and Thor be able to watch Joo Won Friday, Saturday, and Sunday?”

“Sure, I don’t mind; let me ask Thor,” Loki turned to Thor, who was munching on a celery stick slathered with peanut butter. “Seo Yoon wants to know if Joo Won can stay here over the weekend next week. She says that they’re going out to celebrate their anniversary.”

Thor nodded, not minding this. “Sure, that’s fine.” He laughed when he heard Sleipnir cheer, and pulled out his phone when felt it vibrate, his smile fading when he saw who it was;  _ Heimdall _ .

Immediately he left the kitchen, heading to his office in the home and shutting the door. “Heimdall.”

“Thor; I trust things are well?”

Thor sighed, too anxious to sit down. “They  _ are _ … are you calling to tell me that things aren’t anymore?”

“No,” Chuckled the man, the deep tenor of his voice not making Thor feel any better. “No, I’m just calling you with a warning.”

Thor gulped nervously, not liking the sound of that. “What?”

“I was able to steer Odin away from finding out that Jotunheim is looking for your mate and kid.  _ But,  _ he has one of his other men looking into the issue. I couldn’t protest it without giving myself away, so… it’s only a matter of time before Odin discovers where Loki’s from. I don’t know what you’ve done to secure your relationship, but… you need to act,  _ now _ .”

Thor’s heart raced at the information, and he began to think, trying to determine the best way to handle this. “I proposed to him a month ago… I’ll try and speed up the wedding.”

“You got your old man’s approval?” Questioned Heimdall, in complete disbelief.

“No… I’m meeting him for dinner tonight, so… I’ll let him know.”

“You’re gonna have to try harder than that, Thor.” Grunted Heimdall. “You know how your father is; he doesn’t like the boy, and you telling him you want to marry him isn’t going to sway him.”

“...He’s pregnant,” Confessed Thor, after a moment’s hesitation. “He’s pregnant. He’s 12 weeks…”

Heimdall chuckled into the phone again. “Well that’s one way to force Odin’s hand.”

“I’ll let him know tonight at dinner,” Sighed Thor. “Anything else I should know?”

“I have my eyes and ears on Jotunheim… anything changes in their movements, you’re the first call I’ll make.”

“Norns… why?” Breathed Thor, absolutely blown away that Heimdall was putting his neck out on the line for him.

“Because you’re family,” Grunted Heimdall. “You told me you loved him, and I know that you wouldn’t just say that about anyone… you’ve been through enough, and… and I’m willing to do what I can to make sure that those two stay by your side.”

“Even if it means going against my father?”

This made Heimdall laugh. “I’m just helping out my godson; there’s nothing else to it.”

Hearing this made Thor smile, and he thanked Heimdall profusely, hanging up and letting out a sigh of relief. He wasn’t too happy that he needed to tell his father about their engagement  _ and _ the pregnancy tonight, but… he needed Odin to know that he planned on marrying Loki and starting a family with him  _ before _ the man found out about Loki’s past. He opened the door to his office then and closed it after him, spotting Loki on the couch in their living room. 

He was currently scrolling through his phone, and looked up as Thor approached him, concern in his gaze. “Everything okay?”

Thor sighed, sitting down next to Loki and resting a calming hand on his thigh. “Yeah; just discovered some information that I need to talk to my father about tonight.”

Loki gulped and nodded slowly, wishing that he could know. “Will you have to leave again?”

“No,” Assured Thor, wrapping his arm around Loki when the omega leaned against him. “No, I should be home for the next month, at the very least.”

Loki relaxed into Thor’s arms, wishing that Thor didn’t have to leave them so often. He knew that this was just a part of mob life though, and understood that if he was going to be married to an underboss, he was just going to have to be okay with making sacrifices like living without his partner every day.

Thor could see that Loki was sad, and pulled him closer, kissing him softly. “What’s wrong?”

The omega didn’t want to worry Thor and shook his head, quickly returning his kiss. “I’m alright.”

“It won’t always be this way,” Murmured Thor, kissing Loki’s crown. “When the baby gets here, I’ll be able to be at home more; I’m sure my father will understand.”

“He hasn’t been very understanding so far,” Muttered Loki, his lips turned down into a frown. Odin still didn’t trust him, and believed that Loki was only after Thor’s money and prestige, even after all these years.

“I’ll talk to him about that,” Sighed Thor, rubbing at Loki’s small stomach. “I’ll tell him that you’re pregnant, that we’re engaged, and that I’m adopting Sleipnir, tonight. I don’t think it’ll go well, but… the quicker I do this, the easier it will be in the long run. Once he knows you’re pregnant, he can’t really do anything but quickly marry us.”

Loki blinked back in confusion, looking over at Thor. “Why do we have to get married quickly?”

“Mob tradition;” Sighed Thor. “They like heirs to be born in wedlock… it’s an old tradition, and shouldn’t really matter, but… my father is a stickler for tradition. It’d be better for everyone if we just got married as soon as possible, after my father gives his blessing.”

Loki  _ really _ didn’t like that Odin was the reason for many of their frustrations, and frowned, beginning to simmer. He wasn’t upset with Thor, as he knew none of this was the alpha’s fault. He was just pissed at Odin, as now that he had Thor, he finally believed that he’d be able to have the wedding of his dreams, with the person of his dreams. 

He thought that the plan would be to have the baby, and while he was pregnant he and Frigga would plan for the wedding. Then, once he recovered from the delivery and the baby got old enough, he and Thor would get married, and bond together during his heat on their honeymoon.

But now it seemed like that wasn’t the way it was going to happen, and that upset him.  _ A lot _ . There wasn’t much that he was allowed to decide when it came to him and Thor, but the wedding was supposed to be something that he was able to have full reign over; something that he and Thor could do  _ together _ , on their own terms.

And now it seemed like they wouldn’t be able to do that.

He understood that their life was different from everyone else’s because of the mob, but it was always very frustrating when he had to experience the sacrifices that came with this life.

A warm kiss to his temple made him sigh, and he nestled further into Thor’s arms, in a foul mood. “I’ll be fine, alpha.”

Thor felt bad that Loki was always forced to deal with things he wouldn’t have to deal with normally, had he chosen to be with someone that wasn’t in the mob. It meant the world to him that Loki still chose  _ him _ , and chose this life, and he kissed him again, wanting to reassure him that everything would be okay. “When the baby gets here, we can throw another larger, more detailed and thought out wedding, love.”

“I know…”

He hugged Loki tighter, trying to help him feel better. “Have you thought of names?”

“For the baby?”

“Yeah,” Laughed Thor, his hand coming to rub at Loki’s small stomach again. “28 more weeks.”

This put a warm smile on Loki’s face, and he hummed and leaned back into Thor’s embrace, thoughts of their upcoming wedding and Odin being replaced by thoughts about the baby. “I-I’ve always thought the name Amira was pretty, if I had a girl.”

Thor smiled at the name, loving the sound of it. “That’s a beautiful name, omega. What if it’s a boy?”

“I’m not sure,” Admitted Loki. “I named Sleipnir after a character in a book I read during my pregnancy, and the name Amira was from another book. I guess if it’s a boy, we can come up with a name together.” He rested his hand on top of Thor’s then, a fond smile on his face. “I have a feeling it’s a girl, though.”

This made Thor snort in amusement. “What makes you say that?”

“A mother’s intuition is never wrong,” Murmured Loki. It was exciting to go through this with the man he loved most, and he shifted to kiss him, humming against his lips again. “It’s time for Sleipnir to start his homework before his taekwondo practice. Are you still able to help him?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Assured Thor, pulling out his phone to text his father that he’d meet him at 7 instead of 6. “Sleipnir! It’s time to start your homework, bud!”

“Kay!” Shouted Sleipnir from upstairs in his bedroom. Not even a second later the young alpha came running down the stairs, skidding to a stop in front of Thor. “Are you still able to help me?”

“Of course,” Answered Thor, ruffling the boy’s raven hair. “Come on, let’s go to the dining room.”

Loki waved goodbye as the alphas left the room, deciding that he would get started on dinner while they worked. If he put in some salmon to marinate now, and put it in the slow cooker when they left, it would be ready by the time he got home.

Loki was just honestly amazed that he could live a domestic life like this, as it was a life he’d always dreamed of. And yes, while his life did have its untraditional ups and downs, he still loved it, and was very thankful that he was finally living a life where he and his son were loved, appreciated, and comfortable.

Around 6:30 Sleipnir finished his homework, so Loki sent him upstairs to go change, grabbing his car keys and kissing Thor goodbye. “When will you be home tonight?”

“I don’t know; maybe around 12?” He hated how his answer made Loki’s face fall, and he pulled the omega close, kissing him again. “Do you have class tomorrow?”

“No…”

“I’m yours all day and all night, tomorrow, omega.” Promised Thor.

Loki bit back a frown and nodded, meeting Thor for a final kiss. “I love you…”

The alpha grinned, thumbs coming to rub at the crests of Loki’s hips. “I love you, too. Don’t wait up for me, please.”

“O-Okay,” Muttered Loki, turning away when Sleipnir entered the kitchen. “Hug Papa goodbye, Sleipnir.”

Sleipnir nodded, running over to Thor and wrapping his arms around his waist. “Are you gonna go get bad guys?”

“Something like that,” Laughed Thor, pressing a warm kiss against the boy’s temple. “Be good for Mommy, and have lots of fun at practice tonight.”

“Kay!”

The pair waved goodbye to Thor and left, getting into Loki’s car and driving across town to the taekwondo gym they attended. When Loki parked the car and got out, he had the feeling that someone was watching them, and turned around, narrowing his eyes as he searched the surrounding area.

He finally spotted the person looking at him and narrowed his eyes further, chills running down his side when the man didn’t look away. “Sleipnir, come on. Come with Mommy.”

Sleipnir took his hand and squeezed it, as perceptive as ever. “Are you okay, Mommy?”

“Yeah… yeah, let’s go inside,” Murmured Loki, feeling pretty creeped out. 

Seo Yoon was at the door greeting parents as they came in, her eyes lighting up when she saw Loki. “Loki! Hi! How are you?”

Loki offered her a strained smile, wanting to tell her about the man outside. “Hey, it’s probably nothing, but… there’s someone outside that is staring at patrons as they enter. He’s giving off a  _ really _ creepy vibe.”

Seo Yoon frowned, her face growing serious. “Let me tell my husband; excuse me.”

Loki watched her leave before crouching down to Sleipnir’s level, kissing him affectionately. “Alright sweetheart, have fun. Mommy will be watching the whole time.”

“I’m gonna break a lot of boards tonight, Mommy!” Stated Sleipnir, returning his kiss. “Make sure you record it so that Papa can see!”

“I will,” Assured Loki, patting at Sleipnir’s side and encouraging him to go play with his friends. “Now go have fun.”

Sleipnir nodded and ran off, greeting Joo Won and their other friends, so Loki stood, noticing that Seo Yoon and her husband Joo Weon were coming towards him.

Joo Weon looked worried, and approached Loki, his face serious. “Hi Loki… Seo Yoon said there was someone outside watching the patrons come in?”

“Yes… he looked really creepy.”

“Alright, stay in here with everyone. I’ll go take a look.” Assured Joo Weon, not wanting Loki to worry. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Loki hoped that the man was right, and tried his best to shake off the weird feeling, telling himself that it was nothing.

He was  _ safe _ now.

༺♥༻

After Loki and Sleipnir left, Thor changed and got ready to meet his father for dinner at his parents’ house, knowing that the alpha most likely wanted to discuss Jotunheim’s departure from Vanaheim.

His parents only lived a few minutes from him -they were in the neighborhood next to theirs- so he parked his car in their driveway and exited, making his way up the steps and knocking on the door.

His mother answered and grinned up at him, pulling him in for a hug. “Sweetheart! It’s such a pleasure to see you; where’s Loki and Sleipnir?”

“Sleipnir had taekwondo practice,” Answered Thor, kissing her cheek warmly. “Why are you answering the door? You know how dangerous that is.”

Frigga tutted, leading Thor to their kitchen and dining room. “We saw you come onto the property; we knew it was you.”

Thor’s parents lived in a community of extravagant homes, all of which each had 1-3 acres of land per house. Each home in this community was owned by a member of Asgard’s mob, and was mostly composed of their captains. The community was gated, heavily guarded, and not just anyone could come in. “Still, I want you to be safe.”

Frigga turned to pinch his cheek, a loving look on her face. “You’re such a sweet boy, Thor. What would I do without you?”

Thor laughed to himself, a soft smile on his face as his mother turned away. His father was at the dining room table and stood to greet him, so Thor pulled him in for a hug. “Hey, Dad.”

“Hey,” Gruffed Odin, hugging him back. “Why did you push back our meeting?”

“I had to help Sleipnir with his homework; he has a math test tomorrow.” Answered Thor, sitting down at the dining room table with his father.

Odin grunted, sitting down as well. “How long are you going to play house with that omega and his son?”

“ _ Odin, _ ” Chastised Frigga, setting down their meal on the table. “Loki and Sleipnir are  _ family _ .”

The alpha grunted again, not wanting to hear it. “Frigga…”

“I’m serious! Those two are so lovely, Odin.” Responded the woman, shooting her husband a dark look before leaving the kitchen, giving Thor and his father some privacy.

Once they were alone, Thor cleared his throat, getting right to the point. “I actually wanted to speak to you about that.”

Odin remained silent, waiting for him to continue, so Thor gulped nervously, praying that his father wouldn’t react negatively. “Loki is 3 months pregnant.”

Odin’s eyes practically bulged out of his head then. “Are you fucking  _ kidding _ me?!”

“Da-”

“How the hell is he  _ pregnant _ ?!”

Thor narrowed his eyes at the man, his lips downturned in an annoyed frown. “We  _ fucked _ , just like everyone else in this world.”

“Thor-”

“We weren’t trying to get pregnant, Dad,” Sighed Thor, knowing that he needed to do his best to lie to the man. “He had an IUD that was supposed to expire, and when he went to get it replaced last month, the OBGYN told him he was pregnant. He said that it’s common for pregnancies to occur when the IUD gets closer to its expiration date, so…”

Odin exhaled deeply, pinching at the bridge of his nose. “Damn it! This changes things, Thor!”

“...I’m aware of this.”

“Now you have to marry him! Are you ready for that?! Is  _ he _ ready for that?” Grilled Odin, his temple beginning to throb. 

“Loki and I have had numerous conversations about that. He’s prepared to do whatever he needs to do to serve the mob, and understands what it means to be the wife of the underboss. He understands that when you and Mom step down, it’s our turn to run the mob, and he is prepared for that level of responsibility.” Answered Thor, coming to Loki’s defense.

“He’s a  _ literal _ child, Thor!” Argued Odin, shaking his head in frustration. “How old is he, 24, 25?”

Thor exhaled in frustration. “He’s 24.”

“Exactly! A  _ literal  _ child!”

“Grandma was 22 when her and Grandfather got married, and he was already in charge of the mob when they married. You’re being a hypocrite.”

Odin gritted his teeth at his son.  _ “Thor-” _

“Why do you hate him? Don’t you think he’s proven himself by now?” Asked Thor, genuine hurt in his voice. “Aren’t you happy for me? Who cares that he’s younger than we would’ve liked? I  _ love _ him. And he loves me!”

Odin hardened his face, and he looked away for a moment, obvious guilt on his face. “I just want what’s best for you, Thor. And I don’t think a young omega with a kid is it for you.”

“Yeah, and a drug addict that killed our child is even better?” Countered Thor, a bitter look on his face. “Is that why you can’t accept him? Because you’re still hoping that Sif and I will get back together?”

The man’s face fell at Thor’s question. “Thor…”

“Oh my Norns!” Gasped Thor, an incredulous look on his face. “You  _ really _ want me to get back together with her! What is  _ wrong _ with you?!”

“You loved her!” Argued Odin. “She was  _ perfect _ ! Her family has been in the mob for  _ generations _ ! She isn’t an outsider with an unknown past!”

“She literally chose drugs over me and our unborn child! She _ killed  _ our child!”

Odin sighed then, a sad look on his face. “She’s gotten help, Thor… she’s a different person now.”

“I don’t give a flying  _ fuck _ ! I love Loki, I love Sleipnir, and they’re my family, now. Sif had her chance, and she chose drugs over me; it’s too late for her.” Before his father could respond, Thor’s phone began to ring, and he frowned, pulling it out of his pocket. He was surprised to see that it was Joo Weon calling him, and immediately answered, getting worried. “Hey. What’s wrong?”

“Where are you?” Panted Joo Weon, sounding gruff over the phone. “I need you to come to the gym; there’s a problem.”

Thor immediately stood, his heart dropping. “What’s wrong?!”

“Loki’s fine, Sleipnir’s fine, but… just come. I don’t want to speak about it over the phone.”

“I’ll be there in 15 minutes.” Thor hung up then, pocketing his phone and turning away from his father. “There’s an emergency with Loki; I’ve got to go.” He ignored his father’s calls of concern and rushed out of his parents’ home, getting in his car and speeding away.

He made it to the gym that Loki and Sleipnir practiced taekwondo at, his heart racing. He didn’t see an ambulance, or any police, so he parked his car and entered the gym, looking for Joo Weon.

The alpha approached him quietly, gesturing for him to follow him. “Hey; follow me down here.” Joo Weon led them through a door near the entrance of the gym, and headed down two flights of stairs. “When Loki arrived this evening, he told me that someone was watching him and Sleipnir. I went out to look for him and found  _ this _ guy,” Explained Joo Weon, finally entering the basement.

In the center of the basement sat a man that was tied up, a bruise swelling up on his eye. “He said that he’s from Jotunheim.”

At the mention of this, Thor’s blood ran cold, and he stepped forward into the light, eyeing the man. It seemed like he was just a low level associate, and didn’t look to be anyone too important. “What else did he say?”

“Not much; I didn’t really question him. I just wanted to let you know about him.” Sighed Joo Weon. “Want me to leave him alone with you?”

“Sure. I’ll call you when I’m done with him.”

Waiting until Joo Weon left them alone, Thor slowly stepped in front of the tied up man, observing him. The man seemed nervous, and had a bitter look on his face, unable to look up at Thor.

“You’re from Jotunheim?”

The man remained silent, refusing to answer him.

Thor expected as much, and stared down at the man, smelling that he was a beta. Betas weren’t as perceptive to scents and pheromones like alphas and omegas were, so Thor couldn’t really intimidate him with his pheromones. “I asked you a fucking question, bitch.”

The beta snapped his head up and sneered at Thor. “That's the best you got?”

Thor let out a cold laugh, debating about the weapon he wanted to use on the man. “Here’s how this is gonna go; you’re going to answer my questions, and if you do, I’ll send you home with a message to Jotunheim to get the  _ fuck _ out of our territory.”

Deciding on his knife, Thor pulled out his switchblade, absolutely loving how the beta broke out into a cold sweat. “If you snap at me, you’ll get stabbed. If you lie, you’ll get stabbed twice. And if you remain silent, I’ll cut off your fingers and toes for every second that you don’t tell me something.”

“B-Bullshit!” Stuttered the man, his eyes widening nervously as Thor approached him.

“What did I  _ tell _ you about mouthing off to me?” Grunted Thor, stabbing the beta in his shoulder blade and twisting the knife. “Now answer my fucking question! Are you from Jotunheim?!”

“Fuck you!” Gritted out the man, refusing to give in.

Thor dug the knife into the man’s shoulder even deeper, forcing it to scrape against the bone. “Are. You. From.  _ Jotunheim _ ?”

“YES!” Yelled the man, tears brimming in his eyes as Thor twisted the knife in him a bit more. “I-I’M FROM JOTUNHEIM!”

“Thank you,” Answered Thor, pulling the knife from the beta’s shoulder. “Why are you in my territory?”

“I ain’t fucking telling you!”

Thor nodded expectantly, taking his knife and stabbing the center of the beta’s hand. He didn’t stop when the beta screamed, stabbing him here over and  _ over _ again. “Why are you in my goddamn territory?”

“T-The boss’s wife!” Gasped the man, yelling when Thor yanked the knife out of his hand. “We got a tip that he was in Asgard!”

“A tip from  _ who _ ?”

“I-I don’t know!”

This wasn’t what Thor wanted to hear, and he sank his knife into the man’s index finger, cutting it off. “ _ Who _ did you hear that from?!”

The beta bellowed, gripping at the chair as blood poured from his wounds. “I don’t  _ know _ ! My captain just sent us out to the major cities in Asgard! I-It was orders from the boss himself!”

This was the last thing Thor wanted to hear, and he narrowed his eyes at the man, dangerous pheromones pouring from him. “How many of you are in Asgard?”

“There’s at least a dozen of us in each major city!” Confessed the beta, drenched in sweat from this encounter.

“How  _ many _ people?!” Raged Thor, grabbing the man’s hair and putting the knife to his throat. “How many goddamn people from Jotunheim are in my fucking territory?”

“T-Thousands of us!”

Thor looked at the watch on his phone, seeing that the classes for the dojo ended in a few minutes. This was an emergency, it was his absolute  _ worst _ nightmare, and he rushed upstairs, seeing Loki sitting in the room, smiling at Sleipnir.

His first thought was getting Loki and Sleipnir out of here and to his mother’s house, where he knew that they would be safe. Making his way to the side of the room, Thor discreetly caught up to him, motioning for him to come over.

Loki was worried to see Thor here, and made his way over to him, deep concern in his gaze. “Alpha? What’s wrong?”

“We need to leave,” Answered Thor, wanting to get Loki out of here.  _ “Now.” _

Loki widened his eyes in a panic, immediately rushing over to get Sleipnir. The boy was confused when Loki took his hand, and began to protest, silencing himself immediately when Loki shot him a warning look.

Thor made sure to tell Joo Weon about what was happening, and told him to disband the class  _ immediately. _ They had no way of knowing if Jotunheim would attack this area, and needed to get the civilians out.

The Kims quickly dispersed the classes going on in their gym, with Joo Weon letting his wife know that she needed to go to his brother’s house. He was a captain in their mob, and his wife and son would be safe there.

Joo Weon then told Thor that he’d remain here, and asked him to get their top captains there  _ now _ .

Thor didn’t want to risk Loki or Sleipnir’s safety, and demanded that they take his car to his mother’s home, not knowing if they rigged Loki’s car with a bomb.

It wasn’t until they got into his car and left the gym that he finally sighed, and he shot Loki a nervous look, knowing that he needed to confess that he knew where Loki was from, and that his old mob was here to get him.

He didn’t want to do this until they were safe at his parents’ home, as he wanted to reassure Loki that everything would be okay, and that he and his son  _ would _ be protected. He refused to let anything happen to them, and was determined to keep his family safe, no matter the cost.

  
  
  
༺♥༻

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> This chapter and every chapter afterward is going to be wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild! Hang on tight, the rollercoaster has just started!


	17. Circumstance

**༺♥༻**

Loki was scared. 

He could smell the agitation and fear pouring from Thor, and in turn it made him and Sleipnir nervous, the entire car reeking of panic and trepidation.

Sleipnir whimpered in his throat, undoubtedly terrified by the events of the night. “Papa?”

Thor’s eyes flitted to the rearview mirror, and he felt  _ terrible  _ when he saw the boy shaking in fear. “Everything will be okay, bud. We’re just going to Nanna Frigga’s house right now.”

“Why couldn’t I sleep with Joo Won? Why did his Mommy take him away?” Questioned Sleipnir, his voice wobbling as he teared up.

It really broke Thor’s heart to see the boy about to cry, and he sighed softly, trying to emit calming pheromones. “I’ll explain when we get to Nanna Frigga, bud. We’ll make you some warm, marshmallow- chocolate chip cookies, we’ll get you a nice glass of milk, and you, Mommy, and Nanna Frigga can watch your favorite movie.”

“What about you?” Asked Sleipnir, his voice cracking with emotion.

“...Papa is really busy with work, so Papa will have to join another movie night.”

Loki turned towards Thor when the alpha said this, his eyes wide with worry. “Alpha…” He didn’t want to ask what was happening, didn’t want to assume his worst fears had come true, and gripped Thor's thigh, his heart racing even faster at the look Thor shot him.

“Mommy?”

Loki turned around next to look at Sleipnir, trying to smile. “Everything’s okay, sweetie. Everything’s okay, Papa is just taking us to Nanna Frigga’s house for the night.”

The little boy had tears welling in his eyes, so Loki tutted, rubbing at his son’s thigh. “Everything’s okay, sweetheart. Everything’s okay.” He spent the whole ride to Thor’s parents’ home comforting his son, and praying to the Norns that everything would be okay. 

Once they arrived at the gates to the neighborhood Thor’s parents lived in, Thor rolled down his window, wanting to speak with the guards there. “Enact the level 5 protection protocol.  _ No one _ outside of the mob is allowed in; and I mean  _ no one. _ You’re not to lift the protection until myself or my father gives you the order; do you understand me?”

“Y-Yes, Boss!” Stammered the guards, each of them running off to carry out Thor’s bidding.

It absolutely  _ terrified _ Loki to hear Thor tell the guard to enact protection protocols on the neighborhood, and he teared up, unable to think of anything else besides his fear that Svadilfari had found him.

Once they arrived at Thor’s parents’ home, they parked in the driveway, with Thor jumping out of the car. He shouted at the men protecting his parent’s property to enact the level 5 protection protocol, and took Loki’s hand, picking up Sleipnir and rushing to his parents’ front door.

It opened immediately, with Odin on the other side, a perplexed look on his face. “Son? What’s happening? What’s wrong?”

“What did I tell you and Mom about answering the fucking door?!” Snarled Thor, glaring at his father. “It’s too fucking dangerous! Let the bodyguards do it!”

Loki jumped when he heard Thor shout at his father, the alpha’s voice more angry than he ever heard it. It brought back memories, bad memories of Svadilfari, and he teared up as he followed Thor to the living room of the house, hurriedly taking his son in his arms when he saw the boy shaking with fear.

Frigga stood up immediately when they entered the room, worry and concern on his face. “Thor?! Thor what’s wrong?!”

Odin came in right behind them, a pissed look on his face. “Thor, why the hell did you enact a level 5 protection protocol on the neighborhood and house?!”

“Jotunheim.”

Every single person in the room froze, with Loki feeling as if he might faint.

“Jotunheim is here. We caught one of their men at the Kim’s taekwondo gym, and he’s being held there now. If he’s to be believed, there are thousands of Jotunheim members in our territory right  _ now _ .” Explained Thor. 

“Why are they here?” Gasped Odin.

“They’re looking for Loki…” Murmured Thor, absolutely hating the way that the omega began to sob. 

“Why the hell would they be looking for him?!” Shouted Odin, narrowing his eyes at him. “Don’t tell me he’s one of them?!”

“He’s an escaped member,” Sighed Thor. “He renounced his old mob, he wants nothing to do with them, he was forced against his will to join, and he barely escaped with his  _ life _ when he ran from them. He’s part of Asgard now, Father.”

“Like hell he is,” Grunted Odin, pulling out his gun and aiming it at Loki. “Get him out of here.”

Thor’s eyes widened in shock and he immediately drew his gun, pointing it at his father. “Don’t you fucking  _ dare _ !”

“Stop it! Stop it!” Shouted Frigga, coming to stand between her husband and her son. “Just stop it! Put your guns away!”

“Get him out of here, Thor,” Warned Odin, ignoring his wife. “I knew that he was no good from the start!”

“You won’t do a goddamn thing to him!” Growled Thor, absolutely murderous pheromones pouring from him. “I’ll put a bullet in your head before you touch him or our son!”

“Neither of you will do a goddamn thing to anyone!” Yelled Frigga, swiftly disarming her son and her husband and tossing the guns across the room where they couldn’t get them. “Look at them! They’re scared out of their  _ minds _ !”

Thor turned his attention to Loki and Sleipnir, seeing that Loki had the boy tight in his embrace, his torso curled around him protectively as they sobbed. “Shit, Loki,” Cursed Thor, quickly sitting down next to him. “Loki…” 

The omega jumped when Thor tried to pull him against his side, letting out a loud whimper. “I-I knew this was gonna happen, I-I knew he would make me leave when he found out!”

“You’re not going anywhere,” Assured Thor, trying to calm Loki down. “You and Sleipnir aren’t going anywhere. You’re safe… we won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Like hell he’s not going anywhere,” Muttered Odin, pulling out his phone.

Frigga snatched Odin’s phone out of his hand, throwing it to the floor so that it would shatter. “Don’t you  _ dare _ ! Loki is one of us! And so is Sleipnir! They’re not going anywhere!”

“Frigga! Let me-”

“What do you see when you look at him?!” Yelled Frigga, tears in her eyes. “Because do you know what I see?! I see  _ me _ !”

Multitudes of emotion formed on Odin’s face before he settled on the emotion he wanted;  _ anger _ . “That’s different! He’s  _ nothing  _ like you!”

“He’s  _ just _ like me!” Argued Frigga, her face more fearsome than anyone had ever seen it. “If you had sat down with him and taken the time to get to know him, you would’ve  _ known _ that!”

“He’s the enemy, Frigg,” Murmured Odin, pain in his eyes.

Frigga shook her head fiercely, not swayed by Odin’s use of his pet name for her. “So was I! But you took me in! So why can’t you do the same for him?!”

“Frigg, he’s-”

“He’s a man who risked his  _ life  _ to save himself and his son!” Argued Frigga, pointing at him. “He’s 24, Odin! He’s  _ scared _ ! He’s not some evil Jotunheim spy! He’s a mother that  _ just _ tried to do the best thing for himself and his son!”

Odin remained silent, a frustrated look on his face. “I  _ can’t _ accept someone into my mob that’s from Jotunheim.”

“Do you think I  _ wanted _ to be in Jotunheim?” Whispered Loki, sitting up and glaring at Odin from the safety of Thor’s arms. “Do you think I  _ wanted _ to spend every day of my life in fear that my husband would kill me, or kill my son?”

Odin frowned deeply, looking away from the omega.

“I was beaten, I was raped, I was tortured, every single fucking day of my  _ life _ ! I got sold to Jotunheim as a sex slave when I was 16, I was forced to work as a prostitute for 4 months, and when the boss of Jotunheim found me, I was knocked up not even a month later. And because I got pregnant, I was trapped.”

“He kicked me, he threw me down the stairs, he starved me, he raped me for  _ hours _ , he did anything he could to make me miscarry my son. He refused to let me see a doctor, he refused to let me get prenatal care, and do you know how I had to deliver our son?  _ Alone _ , in my room, without any medicine. I was fucking 16 years old! Do you really think I’d align myself with a mob that let that happen to me?!” Shouted Loki, his face red with anger and vehemence.

“I had to let my husband rape me so that he wouldn’t kill our son! He would lock my son in a room and forbid me from going to him and comforting him after he beat him! He would separate us for  _ days _ after beating us, just because he liked the sound of our tears! I wasn’t allowed to say that I loved my son in front of him, because if my husband believed that I loved our son more than him, he would  _ kill _ him.”

Loki wiped at his eyes then with a shaking hand, all of the pain from the memory of those events coming back to him. “I woke up every  _ day _ wondering if today would be the day that he actually did it, and killed us. So don’t fucking tell me that I’m a spy, or that I’m no good! I spent my whole fucking life being told I was a worthless piece of shit, and now that I’ve found someone that loves me and my son, who makes me feel like I’m  _ worth _ something, you’re ready to take it away from us?!”

The room was so silent, one could hear a pin drop, and they all looked at Odin, who had a torn look on his face. They each waited with bated breath before Odin’s shoulders sagged, and the old alpha nodded, finally relenting. “...You can stay.”

Everyone in the room sighed in relief, and Loki tucked himself and Sleipnir into Thor’s arms, thanking the Norns as he cried. His shoulders shook with emotion, and he just sagged in relief in Thor’s embrace, so thankful that Odin was fine with them staying, and being in the Asgardian mob.

“We need to get you guys married as soon as possible,” Sighed Odin, running a tired hand through his hair. “Thor, you and I need to leave and question the Jotunheim member that was captured. Contact the higher level captains, and have them meet us there.”

“...Yeah,” Agreed Thor, hugging Loki and Sleipnir tight before pulling away to look at both of him. It tore him to pieces to see Loki and Sleipnir so scared, and he kissed them both numerous times, trying to calm them. “Remain here with my mom until my father and I return. Do not open the door for  _ anyone _ unless they tell you the phrase, “The sun will rise again”, okay?”

Loki sniffed and nodded, closing his eyes as Thor kissed him again. “I-I love you!”

Thor hummed softly, his thumbs coming to stroke at Loki’s jaw as he kissed him. “I love you, too. Everything will be okay; just stay here.” He pulled away and placed numerous kisses against Sleipnir’s crown, rubbing at the boy’s side. “Papa will be home soon, sweet boy. Just stay here with Mommy and Nanna Frigga.”

Sleipnir clung to his shirt tightly, trembling as Thor’s arms wrapped around him. “Y-You have to come back, Papa!”

The pair hugged each other close, Thor kissing at the boy’s temple before finally forcing himself to pull away. “I-I’ll be alright, son. I’ll be just fine; just stay here with Mommy and Nanna Frigga.” The young alpha nodded and let go of Thor as well, nestling himself back into Loki’s safe embrace.

Loki watched Odin and Thor leave, not relaxing until he heard the front door slam shut. Now that they were alone all of the adrenaline left him, and his body sagged back onto the couch, his forearm coming to cover his eyes as he cried silently.

“Shh… it’s quite alright, Loki dear,” Assured Frigga, moving to sit close to him on the couch and rubbing soothingly at his side. “It’s quite alright, dear. No one’s going to hurt you or your son, and no one is going to take you away or make you leave. You’re safe, now.”

The omega continued to cry as Frigga comforted him, feeling genuine relief and joy. Thor and his mother had stood up for him, had  _ defended  _ him, and were prepared to do whatever it took to make Odin trust him. They’d stood up for him, they went against the leader of their mob for him, and risked their lives doing so.

And that meant the world to him.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Loki had always wondered if Thor really loved him. He knew that the alpha cared for him, and he knew that they had a strong connection, but he’d always been scared that the alpha didn’t truly  _ love _ him, and would turn him and Sleipnir away when his father determined that he didn’t want them to be together.

But tonight, Thor had stood up for him, he’d actually gone against his father, and he was prepared to defend Loki at all costs. Loki understood how hard it was to go against your mob boss -it was even harder when said mob boss was your  _ father- _ and knowing that Thor  _ and _ Frigga had stood up to Odin for him, made him feel so loved and appreciated.

He and his son cried in Frigga’s arms for what seemed like hours, both of them just relieved that they were  _ safe _ and  _ loved _ and  _ cared _ about.

When they began to calm down, Frigga rubbed at their sides and shifted to stand. “Let me fix you all some dinner and dessert.”

Loki nodded a few times, still feeling tired and dazed from the events of the past two hours. “Thank you, Frigga.”

Frigga tutted, gesturing for the pair to follow her. “You’ll both need to stay as close to me as possible, until the level 5 protocol has been lifted. If something happens, and they manage to break through our defenses, it’s up to me to protect you both.”

Loki widened his eyes in mild disbelief, looking over at Thor’s mother, who was in her late fifties. Anyone else that saw her would think she was an unassuming housewife, one who baked cookies and pies and was the favorite of all the neighborhood children. No, the woman in front of him looked harmless, looked like she couldn’t even hurt a fly.

He remembered the scene from earlier then, when Frigga had disarmed both Odin and Thor simultaneously. She’d moved so effortlessly, like she’d been moving like that every day of her life, and it honestly amazed Loki.

“Have a seat at the countertop, boys.” Murmured Frigga, getting out some fruit and cutting it up for them. “There’s some things we need to talk about.”

Loki offered her a weary nod, pulling out a chair and sitting down before picking up Sleipnir, and sitting him in his lap. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed and cuddle with his son and Thor, and it made him worried  _ sick  _ to know that Thor was out there searching for all of the mob members in their territory.

Setting the plate of fruit in front of Loki and Sleipnir, Frigga urged them to eat, setting cups of water down in front of them next. “You’ll be marrying Thor as soon as things calm down, Loki. And that means your duties as the Underboss’s wife will begin.”

She gave him a level look then. “There’s not too much you can do right now physically, because you’re pregnant. But there are many things I need to teach you, in the coming months. The wives of the boss and underboss have  _ pivotal _ roles in the Asgardian mob.”

Loki blinked back in confusion, a bewildered expression on his face. “What do you mean? W-We’re just wives… we don’t have any power.”

Frigga laughed softly, a glint of amusement in her eyes as she turned around to begin making dinner for them. “That isn’t how things work in Asgard’s mob.” She began chopping up vegetables on a cutting board then, her knife skills sharp and precise. “You and I play important roles in this mob; Thor and Odin are the face of this mob, and you and I are the shadows.”

“So what will we  _ do, _ exactly?” Questioned Loki, trying his best to understand. 

“ _ That  _ my dear, is up to you. For example, I oversee our espionage unit. In the past, I was out on missions and hits every other week, and would only take the most serious assignments, but… now that I’m older, I only run hits and missions when necessary.” She looked over at Loki then from the corner of her eyes, growing serious. “I oversee the missions where things go wrong, and my team of omegas come in and make sure that it goes  _ right _ . And as a mother in the past and as a grandmother now, I do my best to juggle this life, with the life of my family.”

She slid her vegetables into a skillet with olive oil, sprinkling spices over them. “It meant ordering hits while simultaneously being at Thor’s soccer practice, it meant answering my phone on a mission at two in the morning in enemy states, because Thor had a nightmare and needed to be comforted. It meant that I needed to seamlessly be a mother, a wife, and in the mob. And that is a hard balance to find.”

The kitchen remained silent as Frigga cooked the vegetables, turning down the heat to pull some chicken breast from the fridge, and slathering it in a glaze before setting it in a separate skillet. “Being a mob boss’s wife is a life-long career, Loki dear. You’ll never retire, and you’ll always have to do your best to fit the mob into your life while raising children. And it isn’t easy, but it  _ can  _ be done.”

Loki was just surprised that Frigga was heavily involved in the running of the mob, and began to understand on some level why both she and Odin had bristled at the thought of Thor bringing him in as a potential wife.

Being in the mob was a  _ sacrifice _ , and they didn’t know if Loki was truly prepared to make that sacrifice, just to be with Thor. He found himself thinking about all the moments that Thor had held back growing closer to him in the very beginning, all the memories he had of things that didn’t make much sense then, but made perfect sense now.

It seemed like he would have to involve himself more than he originally believed, and he hugged Sleipnir close as he thought about it, knowing that the last thing he wanted was to bring his son right back to the cusp of danger that they’d narrowly escaped back then all those years ago with Svadilfari.

Understanding flashed in Frigga’s eyes as she cooked, and she hummed softly to herself, thinking carefully about how she wanted to say what needed to be said. “Our children being in this life is something that we never imagined for them. But… the reality is that they are. And all we can do is give them the tools to navigate their lives. If they choose to not be affiliated with the mob when they turn 18 then they have that choice, but… you cannot blame yourself if they choose to stay. This is all that they know, and it’s the only way they know how to survive.”

Loki looked down, beginning to tear up. “I never wanted him to see any of this…”

“Not seeing what this life entails is impossible, Loki. Being in this life means we cannot shield our children from it all. That is a sacrifice that you have to make.” Sighed Frigga. “It’s exactly why I only have one child. I knew that Odin needed a successor, and I couldn’t bear to bring more children into this world of violence than necessary.”

Loki  _ hated _ that he had to make so many sacrifices to be with Thor, and he  _ hated  _ that because of him Sleipnir and this baby would always be entrenched in this life. He hated that he was faced with these options, and hated that he felt so fucking helpless.

But there was nothing that he could do about his life now except move forward. It’d been what had gotten him this far, and it would be what kept him going. If he had to become the damned strongest mob wife that the world had ever seen, he would do it so that he could protect his family. “I understand.”

Frigga’s gaze softened as she turned off the stoves, and she looked over at Loki, understanding his dilemma. “Life isn’t easy, Loki dear. But you know better than anyone that you have to keep moving.”

“Yeah,” Murmured Loki, looking down at his son. The boy was quiet, more quiet than he’d been in a long time, and it made Loki sad to see his son revert like this. He kissed the boy’s cheek warmly, trying to do his best to comfort him.

This life was scary, it was unpredictable, it was  _ harsh _ , but he owed it to his son and the baby growing within him to become stronger. He absolutely  _ refused _ to let this life take them all down.

**༺♥༻**

Thor called everyone important in their mob to meet with them at the gym the Jotunheim mob member was at. There were hundreds of captains, but there were various levels to being a captain, and Thor made sure that all 15 of their highest ranked captains were contacted and told about this meeting.

Out of the 15 there, 3 couldn’t make it -they were on assignments that were too important to leave unattended- and 5 were tied up in other mob related affairs, and couldn’t immediately drop what they were doing and come to meet him.

A meeting between the top 15 captains, Thor, and Odin was scheduled for three days from now, so the father and son made their way to the gym, the air between them tense and heavy.

Thor was  _ pissed _ , he was scared, he was full of rage, and he could barely look at his father, pissed at the man for actually pulling a gun on Loki and their son. His rage would have to be pushed to the side for now though, as getting Jotunheim  _ out _ of their territory was more important.

He and his father would talk about the events that just transpired, at a better time.

“You need to move him out of that neighborhood, and into ours,” Grunted Odin. “Matter of fact, you should all move in with your mother and I for the time being. It would be the safest thing to do.”

Thor knew that this was true, and he sighed, trying to calm down. “Yeah… we’ll probably move in with you and Mom, for the time being. Once this all settles down, we’ll get a house built in the neighborhood for us.”

Originally, Thor had chosen the neighborhood they lived in because it was close to his parents’ place. It was convenient because it was close to the university that Loki attended, and it was near great school for Sleipnir. It was also a normal community where Loki and Sleipnir could live normal lives, just like they always wanted.

He never feared for their safety because he was under the impression that Loki's old mob would never find him, and was confident that he covered his tracks well enough to know that his enemies never knew where he lived, and who he interacted with on a daily basis.

And he realized now that he’d been naïve. His overconfidence about the situation had potentially put Loki and Sleipnir in danger, and  _ that  _ he felt, was unforgivable.

The father and son arrived at the gym not too much later, and parked their cars, relieved to see that almost everyone was already there. The pair got out of Thor’s car and grabbed Thor’s back up guns and knives discreetly before heading into the gym.

Joo Weon was upstairs waiting for them, and gestured for them to follow him down to the basement of the building, where everyone was already gathered. Thor was relieved to see Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg, and made his way over to them, letting out a tired sigh. “Hey,”

The men nodded solemnly at him, with Fandral narrowing his eyes slightly at Thor. “How did they get into our territory without us knowing?”

“A mole,” Murmured Hogun, looking down with a pensive expression on his face. “My team has been monitoring a few of our lower-level captains for a few months now. After one of them betrayed us and began to sell counterfeit weapons, Odin ordered my team to track everyone and everything that happened within the mob.” He exhaled slowly then, trying to piece things together. “None of this makes sense, though. None of the men we’ve been monitoring have displayed behavior that would hint to them being moles, but… that’s the only thing that makes sense.”

Odin cleared his throat to stop the murmuring of the captains, making his way over to the tied up Jotunheim mob member. “Earlier today, we were alerted that Jotunheim was now in our territory. I turn the floor to Thor, who will fill us all in.”

The captains all turned towards Thor, so he looked at the hostage Jotunheim member, relieved that he’d been stripped and checked for wires, and that the man’s cell phone had been destroyed. “Earlier, I learned that Jotunheim had illegally entered our territory. This man here let me know that there are thousands of members, flooding our largest cities in our territory.”

“They’re looking to hunt down and kill my fiancé’s son. He is the illegitimate son of their boss, and he has ordered a hit on him.” Explained Thor, lying to them. He knew that if he told them the truth, they would demand that they hand Loki over immediately, and wouldn’t feel inspired to stand together with him. 

Everyone around him widened their eyes, so Thor continued to spill his lies. “My fiancé was raped by the boss of Jotunheim, and managed to escape. He… got pregnant from that, and raised their son in Jotunheim’s territory for the first few years of his life. Once Jotunheim’s boss discovered their existence, he ordered a hit on them both. My fiancé fled their territory, and finally stopped running when he came to our territory. He believed that he was safe, but… it seems like Jotunheim has found him.”

His men’s faces were hardened, and while they could see the minute pity in their eyes, they were still all tense, and unsurprised by the explanation. Their life was hard, and it wasn’t uncalled for to hear about sexual assault, and children and their mothers killed, all because their mob-affiliated fathers decided that they didn’t want them around.

“I want us to get these fucking Jotunheim members out of our territory. Everyone in this room, send your men out and  _ make _ them hunt out these Jotunheim members.” Thor looked around at all of them, a cool look in his gaze. “Gather what information you can from them; and then kill them when you’ve learned what you can. Save anyone who knows more than the average member, and let  _ me _ or my father interrogate them. Understood?”

“Yes, Underboss!” Agreed his men, steely resolution in their gazes.

“There is a meeting between all of us, and the remaining captains that were not here tonight, in three days, at my father’s home. In the meantime, I want all of you to find as many men as you can, learn as much information as you can, and do  _ everything _ in your power to prevent this from being a full blown mob-war.”

His men agreed as well, so Thor took out his gun, shooting the man in front of him right in the temple. He didn’t react as he killed him, and sighed, turning away from his carcass. “Someone call our clean-up crew, please; meeting dismissed.”

He pocketed his gun next and made his way over to Joo Weon, wanting to ask him a personal favor. “Joo Weon.”

The man straightened up, his face unreadable as he waited for Thor to speak.

“I need some of your men to watch Loki and Sleipnir. The men I have tailing him are obviously shit at their job.”

Joo Weon nodded, an amused grin on his face. “Of course, Thor. I’ll have 12 of my top men watch over him; I’ll text you their names and their pictures later, so please share them with your men and Loki.”

Thor nodded, clasping him on the shoulder and gesturing for his father to follow him upstairs. They had a  _ lot _ to talk about and to do between now and the meeting scheduled for three days, and Thor didn’t want to waste a  _ second _ of it.

Once they got into his car, Thor entered the coordinates for 3 of his men that he ordered to tail Loki at all times, knowing that they were most likely at their poolhall hideout since Loki had been taken back to his parents’ place.

He was furious with the men, as if they’d been tailing Loki like they were supposed to, they would’ve noticed that a Jotunheim member had followed him and possibly alerted other members. They should’ve disposed of that Jotun member immediately, and their inaction today could’ve proved fatal.

“Where are we going?” Asked Odin, his face scrunching into a frown. 

“I need to knock some fucking sense into some of my men,” Sighed Thor, a pissed look on his face. “I had them tail Loki when we found out he was pregnant, and if they were doing their job, they would’ve spotted that Jotun member, and stopped him in his tracks.”

Odin grunted, beginning to stroke at his beard. “Both Loki and the boy need someone we can trust to follow them at all times, to protect them.”

“I already asked Joo Weon to have some of his men protect Loki and Sleipnir.”

“Yes, but Joo Weon and his men aren’t bodyguards; they can’t watch Loki and his son indefinitely.” Stated Odin. “We’ll have a team of 12; two men, on 6 hour shifts. This ensures that he and the boy will be watched over every second, of every day. We can lessen the amount of men watching them when things get safer.”

Thor hummed in agreement, thoughts of Loki and Sleipnir running through his mind. He  _ hated  _ that the two were in fear for their lives, and knew that he would do whatever it took to protect Loki and their son.

He arrived at the pool hall he believed the men he was looking for were at, and parked his car. “You can stay in here, if you want; I won’t be long.”

Odin grunted, signaling that he would stay in the car, so Thor climbed out of the vehicle, heading inside. He saw the men he was looking for and narrowed his eyes, stalking over to them. The men paled when they saw him, and one of them let out a nervous laugh, setting down his cue stick on the pool ball table nervously. “H-Hey Underboss… everything okay?”

Thor growled low in his throat, gesturing for the 3 men to follow him to a room in the back. He owned this pool hall, as it was a front for their money laundering. The  _ second _ the door was closed, Thor’s fist collided with the closest man to him, an enraged snarl leaving his throat. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

The man flew against the wall before falling to the floor with a loud  _ thud _ , groaning and holding his jaw.

The other two men looked at Thor in fear, knowing that they were in for it.

“What the hell is wrong with all of you?! I gave you  _ one _ job!  _ One! _ ”

“N-Nothing was happening, Underboss!” Stammered one of the men. “N-No one was following hi-”

Thor punched the man in the gut, not wanting to hear it. “Jotunheim is in our fucking territory! If you’d been doing your fucking  _ job, _ you would’ve caught the one tailing Loki!”

He backhanded the final man, knocking him to the floor and stepping on his ribs hard enough to bruise them and knock the wind out of him. “I could’ve lost him and our son, today! You’re all fucking  _ idiots _ !”

Stepping off of the final man’s body, Thor growled low in his throat, his pheromones downright  _ menacing _ . “The next time  _ any _ of you disobey me, you’re fucking  _ dead _ !”

He turned around and left the room, wanting to get home to Loki and Sleipnir. He’d given his men a pretty good warning, so he doubted that they would ever disobey an order from him again.

All he could think about was falling asleep in bed with Loki, with Sleipnir being nestled between them. He wanted to keep them  _ safe _ , wanted to do whatever it took to make sure that they kept their lives, and would stop at  _ nothing _ to kill Loki’s ex-husband.

**༺♥༻**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are heating up ;)


	18. Forgiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Here's the next chapter; it is a bit shorter than usual, but next chapter should be around 5kish words, to make up for that. I've actually been working on other projects that I'm hoping to have posted by the beginning of 2021, so that's why I haven't updated for awhile. I have about 3ish stories I plan on releasing in the beginning of 2021, so stay tuned ;)

**༺♥༻**

Loki fell asleep in the living room with Frigga, he and his son tired from the long day. It wasn’t until he felt a warm kiss being pressed against his brow that he began to stir, and he whimpered softly, clinging on tighter to his son.

“Shh… it’s alright, Loki. It’s just me.” Murmured Thor, stroking through his silken, raven hair gently. “It’s just me.”

Loki blinked awake slowly, relief flooding through him when he saw Thor. “Alpha!”

Thor wrapped his arms around Loki and Sleipnir, kissing his brow. “Let’s go to bed, omega.”

Loki nodded, too tired to protest. It was late, and he was surprised to see that the clock on the wall stated it was 3 am. The pair thanked Frigga for watching over them before heading upstairs to a guest room, setting Sleipnir down in bed.

“I stopped by our home and got clothes for all of us; we need to stay at my parents house for awhile,” Murmured Thor, not wanting to wake Sleipnir up. “Think we can change him into night clothes gently?”

“I-I can try,” Answered Loki, gently removing the young boy’s shoes. He was relieved that he was able to undress him completely without the small alpha waking up, and settled him underneath the blankets of the bed. He changed into night clothes next, and sat down on the bed, his heart dropping when he saw Thor’s bloodied knuckles. “...You were fighting?”

Thor looked down at his hands, sighing softly. “Let’s wait till tomorrow to speak about everything, omega; it’s late.”

Loki knew that Thor was right, and sighed, scooting back and sliding underneath the covers. The events of the day had been stressful, and he just wanted to fall asleep in Thor’s arms, with Sleipnir being nestled between them. “Alright…”

Quickly changing into his night clothes, Thor slid under the blankets of the bed as well, kissing both Loki and Sleipinir’s temples. Sleipnir stirred awake at the kiss and whimpered, blinking awake. “...Papa?”

“Hey bud,” Murmured Thor, kissing the boy’s brow gently. “We’ll talk in the morning. Just go back to sleep.”

Sleipnir nodded and nestled into Thor’s chest, his small hands clinging to the alpha’s shirt tightly, as if he were scared that Thor would leave again. It broke Thor’s heart to see this, and he pulled the boy and Loki closer, settling into bed.

Having the pair in his arms helped him finally relax, and he closed his eyes as their scents washed over him, finally feeling at peace.

**༺♥༻**

Thor woke up the next morning feeling tired.

He was just relieved to have his family back in his arms, and knew that he would always do whatever it took to protect them. He honestly could watch them sleep all day, and found himself smiling as he took in their calm, relaxed faces.

Sleipnir looked  _ so _ much like Loki, and Thor wondered if their child would look just like Loki, too. He couldn’t help but laugh softly at the thought of them having a child that was born looking just like Loki, and reached down, stroking the omega’s small stomach. It was amazing to see him grow bigger each week, and his thumb stroked over the underside of the omega’s stomach, his grin only growing as he imagined what it would be like to have their child here, nestled in between them with Sleipnir.

It seemed like his movements woke Sleipnir, as the young boy stretched out next to him and yawned, blinking a few times before waking up. “Papa?”

Thor broke out into a warm smile, leaning forwards to press a loving kiss against the boy’s brow. “Goodmorning, bud. How did you sleep?”

“Mmm… I don’t know…” Murmured the boy, a sad look on his face. “I was really scared yesterday…”

“I’m sorry, bud,” Sighed Thor, a guilty look in his eyes. “Papa didn’t mean to scare you or Mommy.”

Sleipnir nestled into his chest, inhaling the alpha’s comforting scent. “Nanna Frigga made me cookies last night, and we watched TV. I was sad because you weren’t there, though…”

Thor’s face fell, and he hugged the boy tighter, trying to emit calming pheromones to soothe him. “I’m sorry that Papa came home late last night.”

Sleipnir clung to Thor’s shirt tightly, nestling even further into his chest. “Papa… why do you have to leave all the time?”

“Because Papa’s job makes him leave a lot,” Murmured Thor, stroking at the boy’s hair. “Just know that Papa loves you very much, and Papa will always protect you.”

“Even if Daddy comes back?”

“ _ Especially _ if he comes back,” Assured Thor, kissing the boy’s temple. “Papa does everything he does to keep you and Mommy safe.” He hadn’t talked to Loki about when they would introduce Sleipinir to what he  _ actually _ did for a living, and figured that this explanation would do, for now.

“Papa?”

“Yeah, bud?”

“I’m hungry…” Murmured Sleipnir, shifting to look up at him. 

Thor laughed softly, grinning down at the boy. “Let’s make some breakfast.” He sat up in bed carefully, not wanting to wake Loki up. The omega had looked so exhausted last night, and Thor just wanted him to sleep peacefully. 

Together the alphas left the bedroom and headed downstairs, where they were relieved to see that Frigga had made breakfast for them all. The small omega looked up and smiled at her family, opening her arms to hug Sleipnir as the boy ran to hug her. “Good morning, dear. How are you?”

“Hungry,” Admitted Sleipnir, hugging Frigga tight.

“Let’s get you some breakfast then, sweet child.” Murmured Frigga, rubbing at his back before releasing him and smiling up at Thor. “Hello, dear. Where’s Loki?”

“He’s upstairs sleeping; he’ll wake up soon.” Answered Thor, sitting down at the table and fixing a plate of food for Sleipnir. He’d lifted the level five protection protocol and changed it to a level 3, so he wasn’t too worried about Loki being left alone upstairs. His parents’ house was  _ heavily  _ guarded, and there were weapons hidden  _ everywhere _ , so he wasn’t concerned.

After helping Sleipnir cut up his food, Thor fixed a plate for himself, telling his father good morning.

The alpha grunted at him, cigar in his mouth as he scrolled through his tablet. “You need to get married, today.”

Thor nodded, agreeing completely. If Loki was going to be allowed to know anything about the operations of the mob, they would need to be married. It was necessary to secure his position in the mob now, while things with Jotunheim were still fresh. “Do you think it’s safe to go to the courthouse?”

“We’ll have a few dozen of our top men go undercover to scope out the courthouse before we get there,” Answered Odin. “After that, we need to make sure that Loki and Sleipnir always have detailed security on them.”

“I agree.”

Everyone looked up as Loki entered the room, and Thor smiled, standing up to kiss him. “Morning, love.”

Loki hummed softly, returning Thor’s kiss. “Morning, alpha.” He moved to kiss Sleipnir’s cheek next, stroking at his other one with his thumb. “Morning, sweetheart.”

“I’ve made breakfast, Loki; why don’t you sit down?” Asked Frigga, standing up to fix him a plate. “We’ve got some things we’d like to speak to you about.”

Loki nodded, sitting down next to Thor and across from Sleipnir, and thanking Frigga when she handed him a plate of food. 

“It would be safer for you all to stay here with us, Loki,” Began Odin, setting down his tablet and snuffing out his cigar. “This neighborhood is guarded, and is mob-affiliated. As long as you and Sleipnir are here, you’re safe.”

Loki nodded, agreeing completely. “We need to go home today and get more things if we’re going to stay here for awhile.”

“Of course; we’ll stop by your home today to get some things for you. Which brings me to my next point; you both need to get married, today.”

Loki frowned, not surprised to hear this, but not happy. “Norns… okay.”

Thor reached out, his thumb running over Loki’s wrist in soothing circles. “We can’t discuss mob related things with you until you’re married and officially made the Underboss’s wife, Loki…”

“Alright…” Murmured Loki, looking down and sighing. “I-I understand.”

“There’s no backing out of this, Loki,” Grunted Odin, a cool look in his eyes. “Once you’re in, you’re in.”

“I-I know,” Muttered Loki, a pensive expression on his face. He wasn’t sure if it was the pregnancy making him so emotional, or if it was the events of yesterday, but he was extremely bothered that he couldn’t have the wedding that he wanted. He knew it was silly to feel this way, yet he still felt it, quite bothered about not being able to just have  _ one _ thing go right in his life.

He didn’t want to look weak in front of Thor’s parents though, so he nodded, forcing himself to shove down any thoughts or emotions about how sad he was over the current events. “I still want to marry Thor.”

The alpha stared at him for a few seconds, observing him carefully. “We’ll leave after breakfast, then.”

Loki didn’t have much of an appetite, but he ate anyway, knowing that he needed to. Stress and frustration aside, he  _ was _ still pregnant, and needed to make sure that he did whatever he could to have a healthy pregnancy.

After eating, the family got dressed and ready for the day, letting their guards know that they were heading to the courthouse. Odin had already sent a few dozen men out to the courthouse to scope it out and to hide in plain sight, and because none of them noticed anything suspicious, they gave the all clear message to Odin.

On the way to the courthouse, Loki decided that he would try to explain what was happening in their lives to Sleipnir, and ran a calming hand through the boy’s raven hair, kissing his brow. “Sweetheart… the next few months of our lives will be a bit scary, but… Mommy needs you to make sure that you’re  _ never _ alone. Okay?”

Sleipnir raised up a curious eyebrow at him. “Who’s gonna be with me?”

“Mr. Odin has men protecting us, and we’ll introduce them all to you soon. That way, you’ll know who is supposed to be watching you, and if you see anyone scary, you can tell them.” Answered Loki. “It’s  _ very  _ important that you always make sure you’re around the men Mr. Odin has to protect you, and if you’re not, run inside to the nearest place where there are a lot of people, and ask them to call Mommy or Papa, okay?”

“Okay…” Murmured Sleipnir, his small face pinched in confusion. “Why?”

“Because Mr. Odin wants to make sure that Daddy can’t hurt us again,” Stated Loki, not wanting to reveal to Sleipnir that they were in the mob  _ just _ yet. “He wants us to be safe.”

Sleipnir seemed confused about everything still, but nodded anyway, pursuing his small lips. “Will I be able to see Joo Won again?”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Murmured Loki, rubbing at the boy’s side soothingly. 

This seemed to help him feel better, and he nodded, hugging Loki tightly.

The ride to the courthouse was silent after this, and once they arrived and received the all clear from Odin’s men, they exited the vehicle, entering the courthouse and heading to the right area within to purchase a wedding license.

Loki  _ hated _ how detached and unemotional this whole process was, and found himself holding back tears, understanding that this was necessary, but still heartbroken that he couldn’t have the wedding of his dreams, with Thor. He always imagined that Sleipnir would walk him down the aisle, and that at the end, he and Thor would kiss Sleipnir’s cheeks after they kissed themselves, sealing their union as a family.

He didn’t want Odin or Frigga to think that he wasn’t ready for this life or this commitment though, and held back his tears, going through the motions of this courthouse wedding.

Once he and Thor were officially married, he tried his best to look at the bright side of things, as he was finally joined with the man he loved. He and Sleipnir took Thor’s last name, and while they were here, they were thrilled to find that Thor’s request to adopt Sleipnir had gone through; the alphas were now legally father and son. This made Loki ecstatic, and Sleipnir couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear, happy that Thor was officially his real father now.

Odin sent some of his men out to get their favorite meals from various restaurants, and once they arrived back at the man’s home, the food was spread out amongst them all, and the family ate together, celebrating the marriage, as well as the news of the adoption becoming official.

Thor could see that Loki and Sleipnir were still uncomfortable around Odin, so Thor pulled his father into the hallway after they were done eating, wanting to speak with him. He was still  _ pissed _ that his father had pulled a gun on Loki and Sleipnir, and now that the pair were family, the alpha needed to apologize. 

Once they were alone, Thor crossed his arms and stared at his father steadily, a cold look in his gaze. “You need to apologize.”

Odin frowned, looking away from his son. “...I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have reacted like that last night; it was uncalled for.”

“You need to apologize to both of them, not just me.” Stated Thor, his lips also turned down in a frown. “They’re scared out of their minds to be around you, and don’t trust you. You’d beat the ever-living shit out of anyone that pulled a gun on Mom, and the only reason you’re not dead right now is because you’re my dad.”

He narrowed his eyes at his father then, the scent of barely restrained anger radiating off of him. “If you ever pull something like this again, I don’t care who you are, I don’t care if we’re father and son, if you  _ ever _ threaten to harm Loki or our children again, one of us won’t be walking out of our altercation alive, and I can guarantee you that it won’t be me. And I mean that.”

The alphas stared off with each other for quite some time, with a multitude of emotions washing over Odin’s face. He finally settled on resignation and nodded, looking away from his son. “Fair enough.”

Thor nodded, leaving his father alone in the hallway, and heading back to Loki. It looked like the omega was fondly watching Sleipnir vividly tell Frigga about one of his dreams that he had last night, and he sat down next to him at the table and kissed his cheek, rubbing at his small stomach. “Hey. How are you?”

Loki sighed softly, leaning into Thor’s touch. “I’m worried about the future… about my ex finding us… I thought he would’ve given up on me since it’s been almost 4 years since I ran away, but… but it seems like I was wrong.”

“He won’t get you,” Murmured Thor, wrapping a stabilizing arm around the man. “I'll protect you and the children with my life, and so will the people of this mafia. You guys aren’t going anywhere.”

Thor’s father entered the room then and cleared his throat, gathering everyone’s attention. He walked over to Loki and got down on his knees, pressing his forehead to the floor. “I deeply apologize for my actions the other day; they were uncalled for. I hope that you can forgive me, and learn to trust me.”

Loki inhaled sharply, absolutely blown away by the display of submissiveness that Odin was showing. “O-Odin…”

This was something that alphas only did when they  _ royally _ fucked up, and it was something that Loki had never experienced being done to him before. What Odin was doing showed his true sincerity and his deep remorse, and Loki blinked a few times in surprise, absolutely taken aback by this.

The room was silent as Loki stared at Odin, and his heart beat nervously in his chest as he looked at the mob boss submitting before him. Gulping nervously, Loki finally nodded, accepting Odin’s apology. “Thank you, Odin. I-I accept your apology.”

Odin sat up on his knees and took Loki’s hand in his, bringing Loki’s wrist to his neck and covering himself in the omega’s scent, showing humility even further by covering himself in Loki’s scent. “Thank you.”

The alpha stunned everyone even further when he stood up and moved to get on his knees in front of Sleipnir, bringing his forehead to the ground in front of the child and apologizing. “I’m sorry for scaring you, little one. I was wrong, and I hope that you can forgive me, and in time, learn to trust me.”

Sleipnir widened his eyes in shock, inhaling sharply. He stared at Odin in complete disbelief before looking over at Loki nervously. “Mommy?”

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” Murmured Loki, awe in his eyes. 

The young boy shifted his eyes back over to Odin, who was still bowing before him. After a moment’s hesitation, the small alpha nodded, breaking out into a warm smile. “Okay! I-I forgive you!”

Loki could only imagine the shock that was coursing through his son right now, as what Odin did to them both undoubtedly made the young boy view him in a new light. Sleipnir was used to being disrespected and hurt by alphas, and to have one of the strongest alphas he knew bowing in front of him, submitting, undoubtedly shocked the boy to his very core.

Just like he did with Loki, Odin, sat up on his knees and gently took the young alpha’s wrist, rubbing it against his scent gland, and covering himself in the little boy’s scent. “Thank you for forgiving me, little one.”

Sleipnir giggled and nodded, his smile lighting up the room. He shot Loki a look that melted his heart, and it made Loki want to tear up, seeing how happy his son was to be treated like this by an alpha other than Thor.

Once Odin stood up he made his way over to Thor and hugged him, kissing the man’s cheek. “I’m sorry, son. I don’t like when we’re fighting.”

Thor’s gaze softened, and he returned his father’s hug, kissing his cheek as well. “Thanks, Dad.”

The pair hugged each other for some time before letting go, with everyone feeling more like a family. Lunch was much more pleasant now, and after it was over everyone got ready for the day, with Odin sending his men over to Thor and Loki’s home to make sure that it was safe and free of bombs or other harmful things. After giving the all clear to them, Thor and Loki made their way back to their home, packing up clothes, toys, and other important items that they would need for the foreseeable future.

Right as they were leaving, Loki turned to look at the home one last time, knowing that they wouldn’t be coming here again. They were having their permanent home built in the mob-affiliated neighborhood that Thor’s parents and the other captains lived in, so looking at everything they were leaving behind made him sentimental.

This home represented the first time he’d ever experienced stability in his life, it represented so many happy times with their little family, it represented so much love and happiness and  _ life _ , and he felt himself tear up as he stared at the home for a final time.

A warm hand on his shoulder made him turn, and he gave Thor a sad smile when he saw the concern in the alpha’s eyes. “I’m just a bit sad that we’re leaving our first home. I thought we’d be here for a lot longer.”

Thor wrapped his arms around Loki’s waist, kissing at his scent gland softly. “I know, love… our new home should be completed in a little under a year. The baby will be here by then, and we can all create new memories in that home, with our family.”

Loki melted back into Thor’s embrace, smiling fondly as one of Thor’s hands moved to stroke at his small bump. “28 more weeks.”

“28 more weeks,” Repeated Thor, smiling softly as well. It was as terrifying as it was exciting that their baby would be here in 7 more months, and while it seemed like an eon from now, Thor knew that the time would fly by. Pretty soon they’d be in their new home, and they’d be safe, and their baby would be here, and they would all be happy, just like Loki and Sleipnir deserved.

Staring at the home one final time, Loki turned in Thor’s arms and kissed him, hugging him tightly before letting go. “I’m ready.”

Thor hummed against Loki’s lips, returning his warm kiss. “Alright; I’ll have some of our men pack up the rest of our house and put it in storage.”

The pair shared another kiss before separating, and left the home, getting back into Thor’s car and driving back to Odin’s neighborhood. Their lives would undoubtedly be scary for the next few months, but Thor was determined to make sure that above all else, Loki and Sleipnir were protected. 

He would stop at nothing to make sure that Svadilfari was killed, and that Jotunheim would be out of their territory forever.

**༺♥༻**

****


	19. Taken

**༺♥༻**

After getting married and moving into Thor’s parents’ house, time flew by.

It took about four weeks for the top members of the Asgardian mob to round up various members of Jotunheim in their territory. The lower level grunts were killed after revealing what they knew, and the higher level members of the Jotunheim mob were kept in captivity, where they were questioned meticulously and threatened.

When the Asgardian mob gathered everything they possibly could have gathered from them, Odin called for a meeting between himself, Thor, and the top 15 captains of their mob. Frigga and her elite group of espionage omegas were present, as well as Hogun and his top hackers. All together, there were about 30 odd people gathered in a secured meeting room in a building that the mob owned, each of them having tablets or laptops in their hands.

Once everyone was gathered, Odin began the meeting, looking out at everyone. “Thank you all for gathering here, today. I turn the floor to Micheal, to begin.”

The mob captain thanked Odin and stood, turning to address everyone. “As we all know, we were alerted that Jotunheim was in our territory, and that they are currently looking for Thor’s wife, and their son. My team was personally able to round up over a thousand members, with 10 of them being captains. Many of the grunts were told to return to Jotunheim, and it has been verified that they have left our territory.”

“As instructed, we currently have the captains in captivity, and are waiting on orders about their fates. Through our interrogations, we’ve learned that Jotunheim is wanting to take Loki and Sleipnir back at all costs; even if this means a mob war.”

Everyone’s face darkened at the mention of this, the mood of the room growing serious. 

“We have yet to make contact with Jotunheim’s boss, Jotunheim’s underboss, Jotunheim’s consigliere, or their top captains.” Continued Micheal. “We  _ have _ been able to gather the locations that Jotunheim have been residing in, and are currently working on getting them out.”

“I fear if we keep the minor captains captive any longer, that we run the risk of actually having a mob war,” Sighed Volstagg, a serious look on his face. “My men were able to round up a few thousand of their men, and we have about 30 captains in our hold. Our dilemma is what do we do with them? All we’ve been doing so far is sending them back with a threat of not entering our territory without our permission, again.”

“I need to interject here,” Interrupted Hogun, drawing everyone’s attention. “My team and I have been tracking the communications between the members of Jotunheim’s elite members. We were able to hack into their phones, and gained access to the various platforms of communication that they use. We’ve just intercepted a message that Jotunheim’s consigliere is on their way, and they’re asking to meet ours at a public location. They’ll be here in an hour; what do you want us to do, boss?”

Odin frowned deeply, stroking at his beard as he weighed every option in his head. “If they want our consiglieres to meet, then we’ll do this. To our knowledge, Jotunheim’s boss or Underboss haven’t come here themselves, so one of two things could happen; Jotunheim can retreat, or they can declare war on us.”

“We need to send some of our men and my omegas undercover to the meeting location,” Murmured Frigga, her lips pursed in a tense frown. “We should meet in a park, and flood it with our members dressed inconspicuously. My omegas will be as close to Heimdall as possible while he meets with Jotunheim’s consigliere, and our top alphas will be surrounding the perimeter, to watch for any foul play.”

Everyone nodded in agreement at this, with Odin then speaking to Hogun. “Tell him that we will meet him at Delta park in exactly one hour.” He turned to look at some of his top alphas, next. “Five of you need to remain with Loki and Sleipnir at all times, until you’re relieved of your duties. You will be at our home, and I will enact a level five protection protocol on the neighborhood. You will each be given a phrase, and you are  _ not _ to open the door for anyone that does not tell you the specific phrase; is this understood?”

The alphas nodded, so Odin turned to the rest of his captains, next. “I need all of you and your top men to surround Delta park, and the surrounding streets and blocks. You will  _ all _ be dressed inconspicuously and be undercover, to not rouse suspicion. I want most of our top men in a five mile radius of the park, in all directions. Does everyone understand?”

His men nodded, so he turned to Hogun once again. “You’re to stay in constant communication with myself and Thor; every message, every phone call, every  _ text _ that is sent by Jotunheim, you are to report it to us.”

Hogun offered him a determined nod, fiercely typing out his reply to the member of Jotunheim that contacted him.

Finally, Odin turned to Loki, wanting his input. “Loki, you’re the only one who has ever met or seen Jotunheim’s boss and underboss. We’ll have a drone record this meeting between our consiglieres, and if you recognize them as the boss or underboss, tell us  _ immediately _ . Is there anything you can tell us about Jotunheim?”

Loki gulped nervously now that all eyes were on him, and reached out to Thor, taking his hand in his and trying to not remain anxious. “The name of the boss of Jotunheim’s mob is Svadilfari Sornson. His birthday is 10/26/19XX. I-I’m sure that if you pull up that name in our dark web systems, you’ll get a hit, and I can confirm if you’ve found him if I see a picture of him.”

“The Underboss is his brother Loktor Sornson, and I don’t really know too much about him. Jotunheim is a mob that has a tight hold on their territory, and they’re not afraid to flaunt their power; they  _ will _ kill anyone and everyone they have to, to get their point across, or get whatever they want.” Loki sighed then, painful memories of his time in that mob coming back to him. “Every  _ single _ member of Jotunheim is replaceable, according to Svadilfari; he doesn’t care if he has to sacrifice his men.”

Loki tried to think about anything else that might be helpful to Asgard, as he wanted them to make sure that Svadilfari and his men were taken down, and that Jotunheim would stay away forever. “They might try and wager with you, to stay in your territory. It’s to my understanding that no one in that mob knows that I’m here.”

Odin nodded solemnly, cementing everything Loki said to memory. “Hogun?”

“Already on it,” Muttered the beta, turning his laptop around to face Loki. “Is this him?”

Loki hadn’t seen Svadilfari in  _ years _ , and seeing his face on the screen sent a shock of panic and revulsion through him. He teared up and quickly wiped at his eyes, turning away from the screen. “Y-Yes; that’s him.”

It broke Thor’s heart to see how upset seeing Svadilfari made Loki, and he shushed him gently and wrapped a stabilizing arm around him, kissing his temple, and memorizing Svadilfari’s face. If the alpha showed his face here, Thor would kill him with his bare hands.

“After meeting with the consigliere of Jotunheim, we need to reconvene here, and discuss our next steps,” Stated Thor, looking around at everyone in the room. “Is there anything else we should know before leaving?”

Everyone shook their heads no, so Thor dismissed the meeting, taking Loki’s hand and helping him stand. Now that he was 16 weeks pregnant, it was more obvious, and it made Thor happy to know that in five and a half months, their precious child would be here.

It made him really nervous to know that Jotunheim was in their territory and were searching for Loki and Sleipnir, so after getting home and enacting the level five protection protocol, he sat in the living room with the pair, holding them close and watching some mindless entertainment TV.

Sleipnir was currently in his lap, his attention going back and forth between his gaming system, and the television show, which Thor found amusing. He wanted to check in with the boy though, and kissed his crown, catching the young alpha’s attention. “Hey, bud?”

Sleipnir looked up, waiting for Thor to speak.

“How are you feeling about what’s been happening?”

The little boy frowned, a myriad of emotions on his face. “I dunno… I kinda feel scared, because I don’t want my old daddy to come find me and Mommy, but I know that you and Nanna Frigga and Mr. Odin will keep us safe.”

Thor smiled sadly, holding the boy closer and kissing his crown again. “Papa will always protect you and Mommy, bud. I love you.”

Sleipnir grinned, stretching up to kiss Thor’s cheek. “I love you too, Papa.”

Thor’s phone rang then, so he pulled it out of his pocket, seeing that it was Hogun, and answering. “Hey.”

“Hey, Thor. I’m about to transmit the feed from the drone we have watching Heimdall over to your phone for you and Loki to watch. Heimdall is mic’d, so you should be able to hear and see their entire conversation.”

“Alright, thank you,” Sighed Thor, rubbing at Loki’s thigh soothingly. “Loki, they’re about to begin the meeting. Hogun’s sending the feed to my phone, now.”

It made Loki nervous to see this, but he knew that he needed to contribute however he could, to ensure that Jotunheim left their territory. “A-Alright.”

Thor kissed Sleipnir’s crown again, wanting him to get up so that he didn’t have to hear their conversation. “Sleipnir, go play over there for a moment; Mommy and I need to have an adult conversation.”

Sleipnir huffed but otherwise listened, climbing out of Thor’s lap and plopping down on the couch across from them in the living room.

Taking a deep breath, Thor angled his phone so that he and Loki could see and hear the meeting between Heimdall and Jotunheim’s consigliere, making sure to rub soothing circles into Loki’s thigh. He could see how shaken up and terrified the omega was, and looked forward to the day where Loki no longer had to live in fear.

The pair saw Heimdall on the screen being approached by someone, and watched with bated breath.

“It’s a nice day, isn’t it?”

Heimdall turned to the man speaking to him, a soft smirk on his face. “It is; I thought I’d take an early lunch and enjoy the sunshine.”

This had been the phrase that they’d decided on so that they knew they were speaking to the right person, so both men turned serious, with the Jotunheim consigliere beginning to get down to business. “Jotunheim is formally asking permission to search through Asgard’s territory, and demands that all of our men be returned to us, unharmed.”

Heimdall snorted, shooting the man an unimpressed look. “I’ll give you your men back, but that’s it; Asgard isn’t interested in having our sworn enemy in our territory.”

Jotunheim’s consigliere frowned, obviously not happy to hear this. “We’ll allow your weapons to be sold in our market for a year if you allow us to search through your territory.”

“No,” Answered Heimdall, his face set in a stone cold frown. “We don’t want you here. And every day that you remain, more and more of your men will be killed.”

The man gritted his teeth, exhaling slowly. “Listen, we’re looking for an escaped member. We think he’s here, and if you let us search and we find him here, we’ll leave the second we find him.”

“I don’t give a single fuck about who you’re looking for. If you aren’t out of our territory by this time tomorrow, every single one of your men we have in our hold will be killed.” Responded Heimdall.

Jotunheim’s consigliere let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “You don’t understand; our boss’s  _ wife _ and their son have escaped. Our boss won’t stop until he has them back; even if this means going to war with your mob. Think about it; do you  _ really _ want to have a mob war right now?”

Heimdall’s frown only grew when he heard this. “Asgard stands by its decision; get out of our territory, and if you don’t, we’ll kill every single one of your members that we have in our captivity, and continue to kill every single Jotunheim member we come across.”

The man shook his head in disbelief, a look of pissed awe on his face. “Asgard would really go to war over this? Do you realize how fucking ridiculous that is?”

“Do  _ you _ realize how ridiculous it is for you to remain in our territory and incite a mob war over a simple omega and their child?” Asked Heimdall, not swayed by the man’s words. “Now get out of my goddamn face.”

What happened next happened so fast, that Loki and Thor barely had time to blink. Jotunheim’s consigliere pulled out a gun, but Heimdall was quicker, and shot him in the center of his chest, drawing attention to himself.

It seemed like the entire park erupted into chaos then, with what seemed to be undercover Jotunheim members pulling out their guns and rushing towards Heimdall. Asgard’s undercover members were much quicker though, and what resulted was a chaotic shootout that had Loki sick to his stomach.

All he could hear was the screaming of innocent bystanders, the shouting of men hit by bullets, the chaos of the two mobs brawling, and he turned away from Thor’s phone screen and buried his face into Thor’s chest, trying to take calming breaths, and not panic. He was safe, his son was safe, Thor would protect them, no harm would come to them, and everything would be okay.

The transmission of the meeting between the two mobs cut off then, and Thor’s phone immediately began to ring, Odin on the other line. Thor quickly answered, worried for his father and their men. “Dad?”

“Keep Loki and Sleipnir in the house until I call you and tell you that you can all leave.” Grunted Odin, panic in his voice. “There’s more of Jotunheim’s men than we believed; we’re doing our best to leave before the police come, but some of our men are in critical condition.”

It pained Thor to hear this, and he sighed, pinching at the bridge of his nose. “Alright, we’ll stay here. Call me with as many updates as you can.”

Odin agreed and quickly ended the call, so Thor sighed, putting his phone back into his pocket and hugging Loki. “Everything will be okay, omega,” Murmured Thor, pressing a soft kiss against Loki’s temple.

Loki hugged Thor tighter, his heart nearly beating out of his chest from the panic. He was trying to keep it together for Sleipnir, so he took in a shaky breath, inhaling his alpha’s comforting scent, and allowing the comforting scent of pine and cinnamon to calm him down. “I just don’t want him to find us, Thor… I just want him dead.”

“And if he steps into this territory, he is dead,” Answered Thor, kissing Loki again. “If you want to kill him yourself, I’ll tie him up and let you do whatever you want to him. But if he comes into our territory, he’s not leaving it alive.”

This comforted Loki tremendously, as he knew that Thor meant every single word of this. The thought of beating the ever living  _ shit _ out of Svadilfari before killing him was something that Loki had dreamed of every day since he was forced to be by that horrid alpha’s side.

“If you catch him… if you catch him,  _ tell _ me.  _ Please _ .” Murmured Loki, sitting up so that he could look at Thor. “I want to kill him.”

Thor’s gaze softened, and he nodded, pressing a reassuring kiss against Loki’s lips. “Of course, omega.” Thor knew that the rage that lived inside of Loki was unfathomable, and he could only imagine at times at how much pain the omega carried in his heart because of the abuse he and his son endured. He knew that he would do whatever it took to protect Loki and Sleipnir though, and swore to himself that he wouldn’t leave their sides until this whole fiasco was over with.

**༺♥༻**

Loki never thought he’d see the day a mob war happened, and he could honestly say that experiencing it absolutely terrified him.

In the weeks since Jotunheim declared war on Asgard, things were tense within the mob. Loki and Sleipnir were pretty much confined to their neighborhood, and when they did go somewhere, they were followed by no less than 10 of Asgard’s top alphas, who had sworn to protect the pair with their lives.

Loki and Sleipnir also had to limit the amount of times they traveled places, as Jotunheim was actively in their territory, now. Just them being seen in public was dangerous, so other than Sleipnir going to school, Loki going to his university classes or his doctor appointments, or Sleipnir going to his taekwondo classes or to the houses of his friends, they didn’t go anywhere.

Loki and Thor wanted Sleipnir to still have a normal life, so while Sleipnir wasn’t allowed to go to sleepovers anymore -it was too risky, as the boy needed to have protection at all times right now- he was still allowed to spend time with his friends.

And so, life went on for their family, albeit warily. 

Everywhere that Loki or Sleipnir went, so did Thor, as he would never forgive himself if something happened to them. Every meeting he had with his mob happened at his parents’ home, and now that he and Loki were married, Loki was finally allowed to be in mob meetings, and learned the inner workings of the mob.

He was heavily interested in Hogun’s team, and worked under him, quickly learning the ropes of hacking, cyber security, and the dark web. Frigga wanted him to be on her team of espionage omegas, but because he was pregnant, he couldn’t join it  _ just _ yet.

Although their lives were on the line, and this was a scary time in their lives, Loki found that he was still happy. For the first time in their lives, Loki and Sleipnir felt loved, they felt  _ wanted _ , and this meant everything to them.

It was absolutely  _ awing _ to see him and Thor’s child grow each month, and he often found himself wondering what he’d have, and how they would look. Thor wanted the sexes of their baby to be a surprise, but Loki wanted to know what it was, so he kept the sexes of the baby a secret when he found out at 18 weeks, just imagining the look on Thor’s face when he found out making him grin on the days where he felt himself growing sad about their predicament.

When Loki was 37 weeks pregnant, and they’d been living like this for awhile, someone came over to their house. They’d been living with Thor’s parents since it was discovered that Jotunheim was in their territory, so when the doorbell rang in the home, Loki knew well enough by now that it was too dangerous to open the door.

No, instead the guards answered the door, and relayed who was there to either him and Thor, or Odin and Frigga. Odin and Frigga were currently outside of the home, and Sleipnir was at school right now, so it was currently just Loki and Thor at home.

Not even a minute later, a guard came into the living room, addressing the pair. “Underboss Thor, Donna Loki… Sif is at the door, and she’s requesting to speak to you, Underboss.”

Loki shot the guard a bewildered expression, absolutely shocked that Thor's ex-fiancee was here. She’d stayed away for over 10 years, so the fact that she was here now was boggling for him. He turned to look up at Thor, whose arms he was currently wrapped in. “Alpha?”

Thor was stunned that after 14 years, Sif was reappearing in their lives, and he frowned deeply, trying to decide what he wanted to do about this. He was married, he was a father now, and they had a baby on the way, and… and he didn’t want to see her.

He didn’t want to be reminded of the pain that she caused him, he didn’t want anything to do with her really, and he hugged Loki tighter, pressing a reassuring kiss against his temple. “Tell her to go away and never come back; I don’t want to see her.”

“Understood.” Answered their guard, leaving the room.

Loki frowned and hugged Thor a bit tighter, feeling annoyed that Thor’s ex-fiancee showed up today. He wasn’t worried about the alpha’s feelings for her coming back, as the alpha had immediately refused to see her. He was concerned about how Thor felt, though, and pressed a warm kiss against his jaw, catching his attention. “Are you okay?”

Thor sighed, his hand absent-mindedly moving to stroke at Loki’s round stomach. “I’m wondering why she wanted to see me after all of these years, but… I’m fine. As long as she stays away from me, I’ll be okay.”

He continued to stroke at Loki’s stomach as he mulled over his feelings, thoughts of his past with Sif coming back to him. He had been so young then, and was a different man now. He was happy, genuinely happy with Loki and Sleipnir, and wouldn’t trade them for the world.

Sif was his past, and she would always remain there.

A fierce kick from Loki’s stomach broke his train of thought, and Thor snorted as it was followed by a flurry of kicks against his hand. “Norns, it looks like the baby is upset, too.”

Loki snorted as well, his hand coming to rest over Thor’s on his large stomach. “Yeah, they’ve been pretty restless, lately.”

“Three more weeks,” Murmured Thor, kissing at Loki scent gland. “And then little Amira or Luca will be here.”

Loki smiled when Thor kissed him there again, enjoying being able to relax in the alpha’s arms. “Do you want more children, after this one?”

“I don’t know… I think I do, because I was an only child, and always imagined having a large family.” He hugged Loki tight then, pressing a round of loving kisses against the base of his neck. “But if you don’t feel comfortable having more children, then I’ll understand and be okay with that.”

Loki considered having more children, knowing that if they had more, their children would be entrenched in the mob life. He felt conflicted, because he  _ did _ want a big family as well, but felt guilty for wanting that. “I want a big family too, Thor, it’s just… I feel guilty for bringing more children than necessary into this world because of the life we live.”

Thor understood the dilemma, as he felt it, too. “I understand that… but comfort yourself in the knowledge that our children can choose to not be in the mob, once they’re 18. They don’t have to be a part of this, Loki.”

The omega sighed, looking down at his stomach. “Maybe we can talk about this again when the baby is a bit older?”

“Sure,” Murmured Thor, kissing the nape of Loki’s neck again. He looked at the time on his watch, seeing that they needed to leave to go pick up Sleipnir. “Ready to go get Sleipnir?”

“Yeah,” Yawned Loki, shifting in Thor’s arms and sitting up on their couch. “I’ll probably take a nap when I get home.”

Thor sat up too and stood up from the couch, helping Loki to his feet. Ever since the mob war started, no one in the family drove, and instead rode in SUV’s that were tinted so that no one could see inside of them. He and Thor spoke about aimless things on the way to get their son, and once Sleipnir was in the car, they both kissed him and helped him buckle in, happy to hear about his day.

“Mommy! I drew a picture of me and you and Papa and the baby!” Announced Sleipnir, unzipping his bookbag and pulling it out so that he could hand Loki the picture.

Loki smiled softly as he took the picture, seeing that Sleipnir had drawn them all to the best of his ability, and had given the baby blond hair, just like Thor. “This is wonderful, sweetheart. We’ll hang it up on the fridge when we get home.”

Before he could hand the picture back to his son, he heard the loud sound of tires screeching, and looked out of the window in horror, seeing that a large truck was heading straight towards them.

The last thing he remembered was screaming, and wrapping his arms around his stomach before the vehicle hit him, and he blacked out.

**༺♥༻**

Loki felt excruciating pain in his ribs when he woke up, and from his past experiences, he knew that his ribs were bruised pretty badly. When he woke up he was in a warehouse, and snapped awake as the events of what happened earlier came back to him. “Sleipnir?!”

Loki looked around hurriedly and spotted his son passed out next to him, a loud cry leaving his lips. “Oh no, no, no, no, my baby, no, no,” He whimpered, reaching out with shaking hands to check over his son. The boy was still breathing, and he didn’t seem to have any injuries, so Loki broke down and pulled his son into his arms, kissing his temple and rocking with him.

Loki’s pants and underwear were completely soaked, and his stomach dropped when he realized that the accident must’ve caused his water to break. All he could do was sob, as his worst nightmare had come true. He was cramping pretty badly, so he must’ve been out for awhile, and was probably further along in labor than he wanted to be.

He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he and his son must’ve been kidnapped by Svadilfari, and tried his best to calm down, and think of a plan of escape. His phone was still in his pocket -thank the  _ Norns _ \- so he took it and immediately dialed Odin, knowing that he needed to make sure that the alpha was aware of where they were.

Thor wasn’t in this warehouse storage room with him, so Loki could only assume one of two things: Thor was being held in another storage room, or they didn’t take Thor, and just took him and Sleipnir. Regardless of whatever option was true, Loki knew that it was likely that Thor was injured, and didn’t have his phone on him.

He knew if he called Odin, Odin could have Hogun trace the call, and they would be able to find them, so he dialed Thor’s father quickly, praising the Norns when the man picked up. “Odin!”

“Loki! Wh-”

“I’m in a warehouse storage unit!” Whispered Loki, trying to not draw attention to himself. “Have Hogun trace the call, I-I can’t talk, I-I don’t want them to know that I’m awake!”

“Lo-”

“I’m going to hide my phone so that they won’t take it from me! I-I’ll try and stall them but  _ hurry _ ! M-My water broke! I-I don’t know how long I’ve been out, bu-ut I’m cramping pretty bad, so, please,  _ please _ come save us!”

Odin sighed, obvious concern in his voice. “Stay calm, Loki; Hogun has traced your location and we’re on our way; you’re about an hour away, so whatever you do, stay calm, try and keep them talking, stall them, and we’ll be there. We’re on our way.”

Loki whimpered, trying his best to keep it together. “O-Okay! I-I’m going to hide my phone in Sleipnir’s pocket, so that if they take us somewhere, you can trace it.”

“Alright, Loki. Everything will be okay; just stay as calm as you can, do whatever they say, make them talk for as  _ long _ as you can. We’re on our way.”

Loki sniffed and wiped at his eyes, feeling like his entire world was crumbling around him. “Where’s Thor?”

“They must have taken him, too. His phone was taken from him and destroyed, so we’re assuming that he’s in the same warehouse you’re at.”

This made Loki feel better, as he knew that Thor would stop at  _ nothing _ to get to him and Sleipnir. All he had to do was stay calm, keep Svadilfari talking, take whatever abuse the man threw at him, and make sure that he stalled long enough for Thor to save them, and for Odin and their men to come save them.

“O-Okay, I-I’ll try and stay calm. Please,  _ please _ hurry!”

“We’re on our way, Loki.” Assured Odin, determination in his voice. “Those bastards aren’t getting away with this.”

Loki thanked Odin and hung up, hiding his phone in Sleipnir’s pocket. He knew that Jotunheim’s men would most likely search him and not Sleipnir, so he tried his best to remain calm, feeling absolutely terrified that he was feeling another contraction a mere 7 minutes after the one that woke him up. 

If his contractions were only 7 minutes apart, that meant that he’d have the baby within the next two or three hours, and that fucking  _ terrified  _ him. He was only 37 weeks, and while he was far enough along to where the baby would survive, he was scared out of his mind to give birth in an environment like this.

Kissing Sleipnir’s temple again, Loki continued to rock with the boy as the pains of his labor took over, trying to not cry. The boy stirring in his arms made him look down, and he kissed the boy’s temple numerous times, trying to calm him. “Shh… it’s alright, sweet child. Everything is okay.”

“Mnh… Mommy?” Whimpered Sleipnir, looking around at their environment. “Where’s Papa?”

“Papa’s trying to save us right now, baby,” Murmured Loki, not wanting the boy to worry. “Everything will be okay.”

Sleipnir was trembling in his arms right now, and Loki teared up, bringing his son’s face to the crook of his neck and shushing him gently. “It’s alright, sweetheart, it’s alright.”

“I don’t want Daddy to hurt us!” Wept the young alpha, breaking down in Loki’s arms. “I-I don’t want him to hurt us! I-I wanna go home!”

Loki cried silently as he held his son, praying to the Norns that Thor would save them, and that Odin and their men would come find them. He grunted as another contraction started, and let out a low moan, his face contorted in pain.

Sleipnir pulled away and took Loki’s face in his hands, his eyes filling with more tears. “Mommy?! What’s wrong?!”

“Mommy is having the baby, and it’s very painful,” Gritted Loki, trying to breathe deeply. This hadn’t been the first time he’d gone through labor alone, and although it broke his heart to be experiencing it like this, he was strong, and would do what he could to keep himself, Sleipnir, and this baby safe.

Sleipnir just hugged him close, kissing away Loki’s tears. “It’ll be okay, Mommy. I’m here.”

Loki just hugged his son as he labored, doing his best to reassure him that they would be safe, and that everything would be okay. Now that he was conscious and more aware, his labor pains were getting more intense, and he felt terrible for only being able to cry as he held his son.

Sleipnir just kissed his tears away and told him that everything would be okay, and that he would protect them, and it broke Loki’s heart to hear the young boy say these things. It tore Loki to pieces to know that Sleipnir was experiencing this, and he just held his boy even tighter, rocking with him, and crying into the crook of his neck as labored.

The door of the storage unit they were in was unlocked after they’d been in here for quite awhile, and Loki and Sleipnir both froze in fear as it opened, and Svadilfari walked into the room, a devilish grin on his face. “I bet you thought you’d never see me again, beloved.”

**༺♥༻**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MWAHAHHAAHHAAH!!!
> 
> DRAMMAAAAAAAA!!!!
> 
> This story WILL be ending within the next 2-4 chapters, so anything that you want to see in the story that you haven't scene yet, let us know now, or forever hold your peace.


	20. Freedom

**༺♥༻**

Loki had never felt fear in his life like he felt in this moment.

He almost vomited when his ex-husband entered the storage unit they were in, and just seeing him, smelling him,  _ hearing _ him, induced one of the greatest panics in his life. Right now his mind was set on protecting his son, and protecting his baby, and he would do whatever he could to make sure that they got out of this alive.

Svadilfari narrowed his eyes dangerously when he saw that Loki was pregnant, and stalked over to him, the pheromones pouring from him absolutely  _ scathing _ . “You ran away from me, you  _ took _ my son, and you got yourself knocked up and married.” He bent over and bunched Loki’s hair in his hands, his hot breath in Loki’s ear making the omega want to gag. “Did you forget you belonged to me?”

Sleipnir was trembling like a leaf in the wind in Loki’s arms, and Loki just held onto his son tighter, unable to hold back a moan as another contraction tore through him.

Svadilfari’s eyes lit up, and the alpha laughed, observing Loki further. “Are you in fucking labor?”

The omega remained silent, refusing to answer. He knew how to navigate Svadilfari’s unpredictableness, and knew when to speak and when to shut up.

“Give me one good reason as to why I shouldn’t put a bullet in your head.”

Tears fell from Loki’s eyes as his mind raced a million miles a minute, and he tried to come up with something quickly. “Just let me have the baby, and let Asgard take Sleipnir and the baby, and I-I’ll go back with you.”

Svadilfari snorted, a cocky grin on his face. “Do you really think you’re in a position to make demands right now?”

“I-I’m  _ begging _ you, please just let me have the baby, and let Asgard take Sleipnir and the baby, I-I’ll go with you, I-I’ll never leave your side, I-I’ll always love you, I-I love you more than I love anyone else in this world, I-I-”

“You love me, huh?”

“Yes!” Urged Loki, willing to say whatever he had to do, to save his son and his baby. “Yes, I-I-I love you so much!”

“Then why the  _ fuck _ did you leave?” Growled Svadilfari, sending out a dangerous flair of his pheromones.

Loki cowered away when Svadilfari yelled out at him, covering Sleipnir with his body as much as he could. “I-I was scared!”

Svadilfari gritted his jaw, glaring down at the pair. “You were scared?”

“Y-Yes!” Wept Loki, taking in a shuddering breath. “I-I didn’t want you to kill me!”

Svadilfari remained silent for some time, mulling over his words before saying them. “You’re an omega. When you don’t obey me, you get punished. That’s the way things are, my dear.”

Loki shuddered when Svadilfari called him this, groaning again as another contraction started. He could barely speak because of the pain, but knew he had to fight through it to save his son and his baby. “Y-You can punish me, I-I accept it, I-I was a bad omega, I-I’ll do whatever you want me to do, just please,  _ please _ let me have this baby, and let Asgard take Sleipnir and the baby.”

“And why should I do that?” Questioned Svadilfari, a deep set frown on his face.

“Because if Sleipnir and the baby come with us, they’ll get in the way,” Explained Loki, a determined look on his face. “If Sleipnir and the baby come, I won’t be able to focus on you.”

Svadilfari narrowed his eyes at Loki, obviously considering his words. “Why shouldn’t I kill them?”

“Because they are innocent, and didn’t ask to be here,” Answered Loki, choosing his words very carefully. “If you allow Asgard to take Sleipnir and the baby, they’ll call off the mob war, and then I’ll go back with you, I’ll stay by your side forever, and I’ll continue to love you with everything in me.”

“But if I kill the boy and the baby, and I take you back with me, Asgard won’t care,” Countered Svadilfari, a crazed look in his eyes.

“A-Alpha, the baby is the heir to Asgard’s mob. If you kill it, Asgard  _ will _ follow you, and the mob war will continue,” Explained Loki, doing his best to keep him talking. “But if you give Sleipnir and the baby to Asgard, they’ll call off the mob war, and then you can take me, and we’ll live together again, and I-I won’t ever leave your side.”

Svadilfari frowned, raising an eyebrow at the omega. “Then that means I can just kill the boy. As long as Asgard’s heir is fine, everything will be okay.”

“N-No, no everything won’t be okay.” Began Loki, gripping at his thigh as another contraction started. “If you kill Sleipnir, I will kill myself, and you can never have me.” Loki knew that it was dangerous to make a threat, but he refused to let his son or his baby be killed.

Svadilfari laughed then, an amused look in his eyes. “Is that a threat?”

“It’s a fucking promise,” Gritted out Loki, his contractions coming about every two minutes now. 

This made Svadilfari snort, and he crossed his arms, that familiar cocky grin on his face. “I’m gonna let you have the baby, and kill it right in front of you. Then I’m gonna bring your “husband” in here, kill him in front of you, and finally, I’ll kill the boy, before taking you back to where you belong.”

The color drained from Loki’s face when Svadilfari said this, and he rushed to do everything he could to rectify this. “Please, no! Please, just let them live, I-I’ll willingly go with you, I-I  _ want _ to go with you, please,  _ please _ just let Sleipnir and the baby go to Asgard!”

“No,” Laughed Svadilfari, grabbing Loki’s arm roughly. “I’m going to watch you have this baby, and I will kill it before it takes its first breath. Matter of fact, I’m gonna bring your “husband” in here, and make him watch me kill your child. Then, I’ll kill the boy, and finally, I’ll kill your “husband”. That’s your punishment for running away from me.”

“I’d like to see you try, you fucking bastard.”

Loki, Sleipnir, and Svadilfari snapped their heads up at the sound of Thor’s voice, and Loki and Sleipnir’s faces melted into that of pure relief.

“PAPA!” Called out Sleipnir, beginning to break down all over again in Loki’s arms.

Loki was just  _ so _ relieved that Thor had managed to break free and come save them, and praised the Norns, knowing that Thor wouldn’t stop until he, Sleipnir, and the baby were safe.

Svadilfari pulled out his gun and put it to Loki’s temple, glaring at the alpha. “Don’t take another step; I’ll blow his fucking brains out unless you do what I say.”

Thor inhaled deeply, analyzing the situation. From what Loki told him, he understood that Svadilfari was a crazed man, and he would stop at  _ nothing  _ to have Loki; even if that meant killing the omega so that no one could have him. Clenching his jaw, Thor remained where he was, waiting for Svadilfari to tell him what to do next.

“That’s it,” Laughed Svadilfari, jamming the gun farther into Loki’s temple. “Now drop all of your fucking weapons.”

Moving very slowly, Thor placed down the guns and knives he’d stolen from the Jotunheim mob members he’d killed, raising his hands in the air and waiting for Svadilfari’s next command. 

“Now you’re going to watch me kill the boy, and if you try and stop it, I’ll fucking kill Loki and this baby right in front of you.” Gritted out Svadilfari, a wild grin on his face.

Loki fought through his contractions and put his self-defense training to use, using all of his strength to try and disarm Svadilfari, and battling to get the gun out of the alpha’s grip.

Surprising everyone, Sleipnir punched Svadilfari right in his adam’s apple, which stunned him enough to allow Loki to grab the gun. Loki immediately threw the gun towards Thor, who snatched it out of the air and ran towards Svadilfari, pistol whipping him with the gun.

This obviously stunned him further, so Thor tucked the gun away, taking Svadilfari by his shirt and throwing him away from Loki. He’d promised Loki that he’d let him kill his ex, and was intent on upholding that promise, so instead he would beat Svadilfari to a pulp.

Svadilfari was ready for this though, and blocked Thor’s punch, hitting him square in the jaw and knocking him back. Thor wasn’t surprised that the mob boss was skilled at fighting, and grabbed Svadilfari’s wrist when the alpha tried to punch him again, twisting it painfully and yanking the alpha towards him before striking him right in his diaphragm with his knee.

Thor was showing Svadilfari absolutely no mercy, and jabbed his elbow into the temple of the mob boss with all of his strength, disorienting the man for a few seconds.

He let go of the man’s wrist and swiped his feet out from underneath him, knocking him to the ground and settling himself on top of him as he beat his face into a pulp, not stopping even as he heard the crack of his jaw and cheek bones breaking.

Svadilfari tried to buck Thor off of him, but Thor refused to move, continuing to pummel the mob boss with all of the strength he could muster, absolutely  _ murderous _ pheromones pouring from him.

Loki screaming caught his attention, and he quickly turned to look at him, his heart dropping when he saw Loki hunched over, clutching at his stomach. All he could think about was something being wrong with both him and the baby, and he stood up and ran over to the omega, looking over him in a panic. “Loki?! Shit, what’s wrong, wha-”

“I have to push, fuck, Thor, I-I-” Loki screamed again, in too much pain to undress himself.

Thor scrambled to get Loki’s pants and underwear off of him, helping the omega sit up. He was scared out of his fucking  _ mind _ that they would lose the baby or Loki or both, as it was  _ too soon _ , and he teared up, trying to calm Loki. “I-It’s alright, omega, it’s okay, just breathe, push when you need to, I-I’m right here, babe, I-I’ve got you.”

Loki yelled and bore down, clenching Thor’s hand so hard that he thought it would break, but the alpha didn’t care, only focused on Loki in this moment.

Loki broke down after he pushed, the pain only being exacerbated by his bruised ribs. Everything hurt, fuck  _ everything _ hurt, and Loki pushed again, screaming out as he felt their child crown.

Sleipnir’s attention was going back and forth between Loki, Thor, and Svadilfari, and he screamed when he saw Svadilfari standing behind Thor, ready to stab him. The little boy threw himself at Svadilfari’s leg and knocked him over, scurrying away when Thor whirled around and punched Svadilfari square in his stomach, undoubtedly knocking the wind out of him.

Thor wanted to help Loki deliver their child, but he needed to make sure that Svadilfari was incapacitated, so he punched the man repeadtedly in his gut, not stopping until he heard the crack of ribs underneath his fist.

Loki screaming even louder just made Thor panic even more, and he knocked Svadilfari to the ground, stepping on his leg and stomping so hard that his bone broke. The mob boss screamed in pain, but Thor didn’t stop there, doing the exact same thing to his other leg, and both his arms. It wouldn’t kill him - _ that _ he would reserve for Loki- but it would immobilize him, which was most important. 

The loud wailings of an infant made Thor’s attention turn back to Loki and Sleipnir, and he began to cry when he saw that Loki was clutching their child weakly on his chest, agonizing tears pouring down his cheeks.

Thor scrambled over to his family, his fingers raking through Loki’s hair with shaking hands. “Loki, are you okay?!”

Loki shook his head, his voice wobbling with emotion. “I’m bleeding, alpha…”

Thor looked down, his heart dropping when he saw that Loki was in fact bleeding in a dangerous amount. “Shit! Shit! Shit! E-Everything will be okay, e-everything will be okay omega, I-”

Loki shook his head slowly, his skin pale and clammy. “Promise me you’ll watch over them, alpha.”

Thor began to weep, refusing to believe that this was actually happening. “Shh, no, no, no, Loki don’t speak like that, my dad’s on the way, we’ll get you to a hospital, I-”

The omega let out a broken sound, his eyes beginning to get glossed over. “Promise me…  _ please _ .”

Sleipnir let out a broken cry, clinging onto Loki’s shirt and weeping. “Mommy!”

Loki gulped and weakly reached out to his son, kissing the boy’s temple. “I-I love you sweetheart. And I always will.”

Sleipnir shook his head no, clinging onto Loki tighter, “No, Mommy! I-I-”

Loki kissed him again, his breathing becoming labored. “Take care of your sister, baby.  _ Please _ .” He turned to Thor next, handing him their wailing daughter. He could barely get the words out, but he managed to say them, finding it hard to breathe. “I-I love you, alpha.”

Thor let out a broken sound when Loki’s body went limp, and he yelled, cursing and looking around in a panic. He couldn’t accept that this was it, that Loki was gone, there had to be  _ something _ he could do.

Like an answer to his fucking prayers, Odin and their mob members burst into the storage unit then, and Thor was relieved to see that his father had brought the mob’s medical unit with him.

Their medical unit immediately made their way over to Loki, setting him up with an oxygen mask and an IV, quickly assessing the situation and injecting something into the IV.

Sleipnir was screaming and clinging onto his mother as they loaded Loki onto a stretcher, so Thor grabbed him and held him and his sister close in his arms, trying and failing to keep it together. He couldn’t even speak to reassure the boy that everything would be okay, because he truly didn’t know.

And for the first time in his life, Thor felt scared.

**༺♥༻**

The hours after they arrived at the hospital went by in a blur for Thor. Loki had been rushed into surgery the second they arrived at the nearest hospital, and their daughter was currently in the NICU, so him, Sleipnir, Frigga, and Odin were sitting in one of the waiting rooms for the OR, the room silent and filled with dread and heartbreak.

None of them knew if Loki was okay or if he was even alive, and no one knew if the baby was okay, which  _ killed _ Thor. All he could do was sit stone-faced and cry, while holding Sleipnir in his arms and kissing the child, letting him know that everything would be okay.

After they had been waiting for 5 hours, the doctor from the OR came into the room, clearing his throat. “Everything turned out fine; we’ve stabilized him, and he will live.”

Everyone in the room broke out into tears of relief, and Thor shook as he cried, relief flooding through him. He sniffed and wiped at his eyes, his heart pounding in fear about the fate of their daughter. “And our baby?”

“Your daughter is fine; she was born at 37 weeks, so we need to keep her in the NICU for a few more hours to make sure that she is developed enough to go home in a few days.” Answered the doctor.

Thor’s shoulders sagged in relief, and he kissed Sleipnir’s temple repeatedly, praising the Norns. “Mommy and your sister are going to be okay, bud.”

Sleipnir whimpered in Thor’s arms and sobbed in relief, clinging onto Thor tightly. His face was buried in the crook of Thor’s neck, and he had his arms wrapped around the alpha’s neck, his legs wrapped around his waist.

He was shaking so much, and it tore Thor to pieces to know how broken their son was right now. All he could do was try and emit calming pheromones, and kiss him and hold him, reassuring him that he was loved, and that everything would be okay.

“Can we see them?” Asked Frigga, wiping at her eyes with a shaking hand.

“Yes; Loki is being placed in a room now, and after we’re done running tests on your granddaughter, we’ll bring her into the room, and you can see her then.”

The family stood up and followed the doctor to the room Loki was in, thanking him before opening the door. Seeing Loki lying in bed, so pale and  _ weak _ , absolutely killed Thor, and he let out a garbled sound, carefully sitting Sleipnir on the edge of the bed so that he could cuddle up with his mother.

Thor pulled up a chair and sat down next to Loki, taking the omega’s limp hand in his and sobbing. He felt so much relief that Loki and their daughter had survived, and it tore him up inside to know that things happened like this. 

The fear of losing Loki and their daughter had been the most visceral pain that he’d ever felt in his life, and it would take him a long time to recover from that.

He could only imagine how hard it would be for Loki and Sleipnir to return to their normal lives, and just prayed to the Norns that somehow, someway, their family would be okay again.

**༺♥༻**

Loki’s eyelids felt heavy.

His entire body hurt, and he made a pained sound as he tried to shift, more and more of the memories of earlier coming back to him as he became more conscious. His first thought was Sleipnir and the baby, and he began to cry when he saw that Sleipnir was knocked out against him, the boy cuddled up to him as close as he could be. Loki didn’t see anyone, and let out another broken sound, fearing the worst.

“Shh… it’s alright, Loki. It’s alright. Everything’s okay,” Murmured Thor, coming into Loki’s field of vision.

Loki relaxed completely when he saw Thor holding their daughter, and wiped at his tears, his heart beating anxiously in his chest. “I-Is she okay?”

Thor nodded, kissing their daughter’s forehead before handing her to Loki. “She’s perfectly fine; the doctor said she can go home with us when you’re discharged.”

Loki took their baby gratefully in his arms, breaking out into a large grin and crying as he saw her staring up at him. “She’s so beautiful…”

Their daughter had Thor’s beautiful, golden blond hair, but had his sage green eyes, and looked exactly like him, which he found amusing. “She looks so much like me.”

Thor let out a soft laugh, staring at his family fondly. “I had a feeling she would.”

Bringing their daughter to his lips, Loki kissed her again and again, feeling eternally grateful that he was still alive, and able to hold her like this. “What did the doctor say about us?”

Thor gulped nervously, just thinking about how he almost lost Loki and the baby bringing tears to his eyes. “You’re both okay. The doctor said that because you went into labor early, and that your water broke due to the accident, that when you gave birth, your uterus wasn’t able to contract properly, which led to you hemorrhaging.”

His voice broke as he said this, and he cleared his throat, wiping at his tears. “He said that if my dad and our medics didn’t come when they did, you would’ve died. He said that if they had come just two minutes later, you wouldn’t have made it.”

Loki closed his eyes and leaned back his head onto the pillows of the hospital bed, his voice trembling as he spoke. “I really thought I was going to die… I could feel it… I-I knew that I was going to, and I felt so fucking terrible because I was leaving all of you.” He sniffed and wiped at his eyes, shaking his head. “I didn’t want to die.”

Thor scooted closer to Loki, kissing his cheek warmly. “All that matters is that you’re here now, and alive. You’re okay, the baby is okay, Sleipnir’s okay, and that’s all that matters.”

Loki leaned forward until he was in Thor’s arms, just basking in his embrace. “I love you so much, alpha.”

This made Thor smile, and he kissed Loki gently, praising the Norns that he was still able to do this. “I love you so much, omega. You and Sleipnir and Amira mean everything to me… I can’t lose you guys.”

“How long was I out?” Asked Loki, sighing softly and relaxing back into his bed. 

“About 12 hours…” Murmured Thor, stroking at Loki’s cheek. “Sleipnir cried himself to sleep…”

Loki teared up when he heard this, rubbing at the boy’s back soothingly while he cradled their daughter in his other arm. “How did Svadilfari find us?”

Thor frowned, hesitating before telling Loki this information. “Remember when Sif knocked on our door, and asked to see me?”

Loki nodded slowly, narrowing his eyes at Thor in concern. “Thor…”

“We found out that she did that because she betrayed the mob. Her plan was to get me to meet her at a restaurant outside of the neighborhood, and then Svadilfari and his men would storm the neighborhood, and take you and Sleipnir, when I wasn’t there to protect you.”

Loki’s blood ran cold when he heard this, and he clenched his jaw, rage flooding through him. “Where is she?”

“Dead.”

“...Who killed her?”

“I did,” Sighed Thor, a dark look on his face. “After I found out that you and the baby were okay, I left and killed her. She’s the reason that I almost lost everything that I loved. And I would kill her again and again for putting our family through this.”

Loki exhaled slowly, not as disturbed by the information as he probably should’ve been. “Did she say why she did what she did?”

Thor frowned, sitting up in his chair and crossing his arms. “She said that she wanted me back. She found out that you were from Jotunheim because her father is a high-ranking captain in the mob, and betrayed the mob in the hopes that losing you would drive me back into her arms.”

It made Loki upset to hear this, but a large part of him was relieved that Thor killed her, as macabre as it sounded. If Thor didn’t kill her, Loki would’ve after he was released from the hospital. “And Svadilfari?”

“Tied up in captivity.”

Loki raised a confused eyebrow at his husband, not understanding why the man was still alive. “Why didn’t you kill him?”

“Because I promised you that I would let you kill him.”

Loki’s gaze softened, and he laughed gently, touched by the statement. “Thank you.” It meant so much to him that Thor did this, and as dark and twisted as it sounded, Loki knew that he wanted Svadilfari to die by his hands. He wanted to see the life fade from the man’s eyes, he wanted to watch him suffer, he wanted to hear him scream, and he wanted to be the one who came out on top.

Sleipnir began to stir in Loki’s arms then, so Loki and Thor looked down at their son, with Loki smiling with so much love in his gaze. “Hi, sweetheart.”

“Mommy!” Shouted Sleipnir, wrapping his arms around Loki and pressing over a dozen kisses against his face.

Loki grinned and kissed his son just as many times, so happy that he was still alive. “Mommy loves you so much, baby.”

Sleipnir wrapped his arms around Loki’s neck, burying his face into the crook of Loki’s neck and covering himself in his scent. “I love you, Mama! A lot a lot!”

This made Loki chuckle, and he and his son hugged and kissed for what felt like hours, each of them relieved to be in each other’s embrace again. They only separated when Amira began to coo, so Sleipnir pulled away from his mother, looking down at his sister and smiling. Reaching out, the child tickled her cheek, and laughed when Amira wrapped her small fist around Sleipnir’s finger. Sleipnir giggled and pressed numerous kisses against her forehead, which warmed Loki and Thor’s hearts.

“She’s probably hungry, sweetheart,” Murmured Loki, shifting his hospital gown and exposing his chest. He brought her to his chest and guided her to him, relaxing once she latched on. Doing this brought back sad memories of Sleipnir, as this was the way he fed Sleipnir for the first few months of his life. Svadilfari had been intent on starving the child and refused to buy formula, and starved Loki in order to get his body to stop producing milk, but his body still fed his child through the abuse, which Loki was thankful for.

He tried his best to not think about it though, as his life was different, now. He was alive, his children and husband were safe,  _ he _ was safe, and once he recovered, he’d beat the ever living shit out of Svadilfari before killing him. After that, he would never have to worry about the man coming for him or his family ever again, and he could  _ finally _ live in peace.

Just like he’d always wanted.

**༺♥༻**

Loki was kept in the hospital for about a week before he was allowed to go home, and their daughter was healthy enough to go home as well, which Thor and Loki were thankful for.

They were still living with Thor’s parents -their home wouldn’t be ready for another two months- so once they arrived home, and Sleipnir and the baby had been put to sleep, Loki was finally ready to take his revenge on Svadilfari. 

He asked Frigga to watch the children so that he could leave, and tried to not be too nervous as he and Thor were driven to the warehouse where Svadilfari was being held.

Thor noticed how nervous Loki was and reached out, taking the omega’s hand and squeezing it gently. “You don’t have to do this if you’re not ready, Loki.”

Loki shook his head fiercely, steely determination running through him. “No; I need to do this. I won’t be able to rest until he’s dead.”

Thor understood this completely, and kissed Loki’s temple, rubbing at his thigh to reassure him. “You can do this. You’ve been dreaming about this since you were forced to be by his side. He is tied up, and cannot hurt you.”

This made Loki feel a lot better, and once they arrived at the warehouse, he gulped and stepped out of the car, confidence rising within him with each step. This had been the day he’d been dreaming of, the day he’d been  _ waiting _ for, and today was the day he  _ would _ take his power back.

Thor led him into the warehouse they were holding Svadilfari in, and walked down a long hallway, stopping at a storage unit, and unlocking it. “Ready?”

Loki nodded, steeling himself and entering the storage unit. Right before him sat Svadilfari, dried blood on his face, and his face still bruised from the beating Thor gave him. He stared at the alpha and tried to decide how he wanted to do this, as he felt…  _ numb. _

Seeing the man that caused him and his children so much abuse, tied up and defenseless, made Loki feel too many things at once. He didn’t know where to start, didn’t know how to begin, wasn’t sure how to do this, and observed the man further, remaining silent.

Svadilfari looked up at Loki and snorted, staring at him like he was the filth on the ground he walked on. “Well? What are you going to fucking do, bitch?”

A passionate rage spread through Loki then, and he punched Svadilfari in his already bruised jaw, absolutely loving the way the man groaned. “Shut the hell up!”

Svadilfari spit blood on the ground, laughing at Loki. “Was that all you got, you fucking wh-”

Loki punched Svadilfari again, his heart pounding as the adrenaline began to course through him. “Shut your goddamn fucking mouth!” Before Svadilfari could say another remark, Loki punched him again, again and again, frustrated tears pouring out from his eyes. “I fucking hate you! I was fucking 16 when you found me! I thought you loved me like a fucking  _ idiot _ , and look where it got me!”

Svadilfari tried to speak, but Loki let out an enraged snarl, drowning him out. “You fucking  _ raped _ me every single day! You tried to kill my  _ son _ ! Every day I spent with you was fucking  _ miserable _ !” He punched Svadilfari even harder, and spat in his face, angry tears pouring from his eyes. “You’re fucking  _ crazy _ , I can’t fucking  _ stand _ you, I  _ hate _ that you’re the father of my child, I  _ hate _ that you’ve been in me, I  _ hate _ that you’ve touched and infected every inch of me, and I can’t  _ wait _ to see the light in your eyes fade when I fucking kill you!”

The beaten alpha laughed, a crazed look in his eyes. “You’re absolutely nothing, you worthless piece of shit. You’re lucky I even took you in, bitch.”

Loki ground his jaw in anger, turning towards Thor. “Do you have a knife?”

Thor nodded, getting his switchblade from his pocket and handing it to Loki, remaining silent.

Taking the knife, Loki weighed it in his hands, murderous intent radiating from him. “I hate you so fucking much. You are the  _ worst _ thing that has  _ ever _ happened to me!”

“I should’ve left you in the whorehouse I found you in, bitch!” Shouted Svadilfari, pissed pheromones spilling from him. “I should’ve fucking killed that kid, should’ve-”

Loki screamed, stabbing Svadilfari in his shoulder. “Shut up!” He pulled back and stabbed Svadilfari again and again, feeling a blind rage take over him. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut your goddamn fucking mouth!”

Now that he’d tapped into the rage within, it was like he couldn’t stop, and he continued to stab Svadilfari as he cried, stabbing him over and over and over again with the knife.

He didn’t stop as he heard Svadilfari screaming, didn’t stop as blood gushed from his wounds, he didn’t stop when the alpha coughed up blood, no instead he kept going, stabbing him in his chest, in his stomach, his thighs, his arms, anywhere and everywhere that the alpha had ever hurt him, and once he was done he held the switchblade to the alpha’s neck, digging it in roughly. “I fucking hate you so much for what you did to me and my son, and I hope you burn in hell for eternity.”

Before Svadilfari could respond, Loki shoved the blade into Svadilfari’s neck, not caring about the blood that gushed onto his hand. He stared down at Svadilfari as the man suffocated on his own blood, and watched intently as the light faded from the alpha’s eyes, and he died.

Seeing his body sag as the alpha died felt so  _ glorious _ to Loki, and he turned to Thor, wiping at his tears. “Give me your gun, please.”

Without speaking, Thor handed Loki his gun, wanting Loki to desecrate Svadilfari’s body as much as he wanted to.

Taking Thor’s gun, Loki cocked it and shot straight into the center of Svadilfari’s skull, laughing as he did so. Once he started he couldn’t stop, and he shot the dead alpha again and again, firing round after round into his body.

When there were no more bullets left in the gun, and the alpha’s body had been riddled with bullet wounds, Loki dropped the gun and fell to his knees, beginning to sob.

Thor immediately went on his knees and pulled Loki into his arms, kissing him and holding him close. “It’s alright, love. It’s alright. Everything’s over, now. He’s dead. He’s dead. He can’t hurt you or Sleipnir, anymore.”

Loki just continued to cry, relief flooding through him as it finally sank in that he and his children were safe, and that nothing would happen to them anymore; they were safe.

For the first time in his life, he was  _ safe _ .

And  _ god _ , did it feel so fucking  _ good _ .

**༺♥༻**

****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So next chapter will be the last chapter, then chapter 22 will be the epilogue, and then chapter 23 will be a cute mini-chapter involving Thor and Sleipnir, that MissOctober13 wrote.


	21. Completion

**༺♥༻**

Loki had always imagined how he’d feel if he was ever able to kill Svadilfari.

He’d thought he’d feel scared,  _ terrified _ even of the retribution that would come.

But instead… instead, he felt free.

He felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off of his shoulders, and he just sat in Thor’s warm, comforting embrace for what felt like  _ hours _ , full of so much relief. He felt like the shackles of his harrowing life had been broken, he felt like for the first time in his life he could actually  _ breathe _ , and he hugged Thor tightly, inhaling his comforting scent of pine and cinnamon. “Fuck, I love you so much, alpha!”

Thor hugged Loki even tighter, trying to emit calming, soothing pheromones. “I love you so much, omega,” He murmured, kissing Loki’s temple. “I’m so proud of you. That bastard got what he fucking deserved.”

Loki clung to Thor like he was his life line, full of so much emotion. He was happy, he was relieved, he was tired, he was overwhelmed, and all he wanted to do was fall asleep in bed with Thor, Sleipnir and Amira nestled in between them. “I want to go home,” Wept Loki, letting go of Thor and wiping at his eyes with a shaking hand.

“Of course, love,” Answered Thor, helping Loki stand. “Don’t worry about the body, don’t worry about the fall out, don’t even worry about retribution from Jotunheim. Just worry about healing, okay?”

Loki nodded, meeting Thor for a loving kiss. He was so appreciative of the alpha, and praised the Norns that he’d been led to the man that he’d always dreamed of having. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Assured Thor, kissing Loki again. “Let’s get you home.”

Loki sniffed and nodded, following Thor out of the storage unit and the warehouse, and back to their SUV, where their driver was waiting for them. Now that Svadilfari was dead, Loki was worried about what he would tell Sleipnir, as the boy was only 8. “What do I tell Sleipnir?”

“The truth,” Suggested Thor, taking Loki’s hand and squeezing it gently. “He deserves to know.”

“But he’s  _ 8 _ !” Argued Loki, his eyes flashing in disbelief. “I-”

“Loki, we aren’t normal people,” Began Thor, turning in his seat to look at Loki. “I’m going to be the Boss of the Asgardian mob, soon. You’re going to be the boss’s wife, and officially the Donna of the mob. There’s no hiding that from our children. The longer we hold this life back from them, and shield them from it, it’s only going to end up hurting them in the end when they find out the truth.”

“But he’s  _ 8 _ !” Argued Loki, disbelief in his eyes. “He’s too young to know information like that!”

Thor sighed, a slight frown on his face. “Loki, Sleipnir has been entrenched in the mob since the day he was born. He doesn’t know anything other than this lifestyle. And while that’s not your fault, you have to understand that he’s already been introduced to everything in this life. You married me and let me adopt him,  _ knowing _ the type of life I live.”

“I-I know that!” Stated Loki, his voice breaking. “I just want him to grow up like a normal child for  _ once _ in his life!”

Thor’s gaze softened, and he wrapped a stabilizing arm around Loki, trying to comfort him. “Loki… he can still grow up like a normal child. He can go to school, he can go to sleepovers, he can play video games or go to the park with his friends, he can still do very normal, childhood things. But mob life isn’t pretty. And the longer we wait to introduce him to this life, the harder it will be on him.”

Loki remained silent, so Thor sighed, rubbing at the omega’s shoulder soothingly. “Loki, I killed someone for the first time at 14. I saw my mother kill someone when I was 5. And while it isn’t pretty, that’s just the reality of the life we live. And you’re a part of it; you don’t have to love it, but you have to accept it. Our children are going to grow up in the mob, and we can’t shield them from everything.”

Loki knew that Thor was right, and he  _ hated _ that his children were in this world, but this was the safest path for them. “I know… I just… I don’t know.”

Kissing Loki’s temple, Thor rubbed at his shoulder again, not wanting him to worry. “Every kid that has a mob parent in the Asgardian mob grows up knowing that they’re in the mob, Loki. And for the most part, we turn out fine. We kill people, we sell weapons, we sell drugs, we practice illicit activities, and a million and one other things that would make the average person revolt in disgust. But that’s the life we live, Loki.”

Loki relaxed in Thor’s hold while he mulled over things, coming to the conclusion that they needed to be honest with their son. “How do we tell him?”

“You explain that you killed Svadilfari, and then I’ll explain the mob to him and what we do, and how important it is for him to keep this a secret, within the family.” Answered Thor. “Let me talk to him. And when Amira gets older, we’ll explain the same thing to her.”

Loki exhaled softly and nodded, wrapping his arms around Thor. “Okay…”

The pair remained in each other’s arms until arriving back at Thor’s parent’s home, and were relieved to see that the children were still asleep. Loki was able to jump in the shower and cleanse himself of Svadilfari’s scent, and all of the blood on his clothes, so after showering, he gently picked up his daughter from her crib, kissing her adorable face as she cooed at him. “Hi, princess! Aren’t you just the most adorable thing?”

Amira gurgled, her eyes crinkling with joy as Loki spoke to her.

Every time Loki held his daughter he felt thankful, as he knew that he was lucky to even be alive. He was just so grateful that he was able to see both of his children grow up, and that Odin and their men had come to save them in the knick of time.

Sitting down in a rocking chair in their bedroom, Loki grabbed a nursing pillow and settled his daughter on it, lifting up his shirt, and guiding her to his chest. She had no trouble latching on, and drank from him happily, her soft gurgles making Loki smile, and causing love to bloom in his chest.

Thor loved the sight of his wife and daughter bonding like this, and sat down across from Loki on their bed, a gentle smile on his face. “She’s so beautiful.”

“I know,” Murmured Loki, continuing to smile down at her. “And she’s so happy; Sleipnir was just like her, when he was born.”

Thor wished that he could’ve been the one to be there with Loki, raising Sleipnir from the beginning, but he was just happy that he was in their lives now, and that they were all a family. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m still really sore,” Confessed Loki, closing his eyes and rocking gently in the chair. “And tired. All I want to do is sleep.”

“Can I get your medicine for you?” Asked Thor, concerned for his spouse.

Loki nodded, letting out a loud sigh. “Please.”

Thor stood up and made his way over to Loki, pecking his lips. “Want anything else?”

“A sandwich?” Asked Loki, a hopeful look in his eyes.

“What kind?”

“Salami, mozzarella, and pesto?”

Thor laughed softly, kissing the man again. “What do you want to drink?”

“Soda?”

“You’ve got it, babe,” Murmured Thor, pecking Loki’s lips for a final time before straightening up and exiting the room.

Loki stared at Thor with awe and pure adoration in his eyes, wondering what he did to get so lucky to have a man like Thor as his husband. The alpha was so loving, and the fact that he doted upon him and treasured him dearly was the icing on the cake.

Thor returned to the room 10 minutes later with the requested items, and set Loki’s food on a nearby table, gently taking their daughter so that Loki could eat. He was genuinely amazed that their little girl was Loki’s spitting image, and while he didn’t mind it, he was a bit sad that she didn’t at least look a  _ little _ like him, as all she had was his golden hair.

He played with her while Loki ate, and when she began to get sleepy and yawned, Thor kissed her gently and placed her back in her crib, stroking at her cheek fondly. “Thank you.”

Loki raised a confused eyebrow at Thor. “For what?”

“For giving birth to them,” Answered Thor, turning around to stare at Sleipnir fondly. “I love them so much. I never thought I’d have a family again after Sif, and now I have all of you. And I’m happy.”

Loki grinned, standing up and coming over to pull Thor into a warm embrace. “I never thought I’d find someone who could love my son just as much as he loved me. And I’m so thankful that we found each other.”

The pair smiled sweetly at each other and kissed, the love they had for each other only blossoming further in their hearts.

Sleipnir began to stir in bed then and yawned, drawing attention to himself. “Mommy? Papa?”

The pair sat down next to him on their bed on either side of him, running soothing hands through his hair. “Are you okay, sweetheart?” Murmured Loki, leaning over to kiss his son’s cheek.

Sleipnir leaned into Loki’s touch, immediately pulling the man closer so that Loki’s arms were wrapped more securely around him. “Is Daddy gonna find us, again?”

Loki shot Thor a nervous look before exhaling slowly, and pulling their son into his lap. “Sleipnir… Mommy and Papa have some things that we need to tell you.”

The young alpha seemed worried, but nodded anyway, settling himself more comfortably in Loki’s lap. “What is it?”

“Mommy hurt Daddy… and I made sure that he can never hurt us ever again.”

Sleipnir looked up at him, concern in his gaze. “Is he dead?”

“...Yes.”

The young alpha’s body sagged in relief, and he hugged Loki tightly, not saying anything. Loki understood the boy’s emotions, and just hugged him for as long as he needed, understanding how relieved the boy was that Svadilfari could never hurt them again.

Because of the traumatic events of the past two weeks, Sleipnir had regressed to the point where he needed to constantly be in Loki or Thor’s embrace, and panicked when he wasn’t by their sides, so the pair were working to make Sleipnir feel safe and loved at all times. They knew that he wouldn’t recover overnight, but both hoped that learning of his father’s death would help that recovery process.

It broke their hearts to see Sleipnir crying in relief, and they both kissed the boy and reassured him that they loved him and that he was safe, mutually deciding in that moment that they would wait to tell Sleipnir about them being in the mob.

A  _ lot _ had happened these past two weeks, and both Thor and Loki understood that their family needed time to heal, and recover.

They were finally able to work on healing, and  _ that _ was what was most important.

**༺♥༻**

It took about 6 months for their family before things got back to normal. Both Loki and Sleipnir went to therapy twice a week because of what happened, and Sleipnir was pulled out of school, and allowed to do whatever activities he wanted. He played soccer, he went to taekwondo, he read comic books, and most of all he just enjoyed being a child. What he had been through had been traumatic, and neither Thor or Loki believed that the child was mentally or emotionally ready to attend school during that 6 month period. Sleipnir was also allowed to play with his friends and host sleepovers again, which helped the boy return to a sense of normalcy.

It made Loki sad that Sleipnir would have to repeat a year because of what happened, but he understood that pulling their son out of school was for the best, right now. He himself had taken a few months to just enjoy being a mother, and shirked his mob responsibilities for quite some time, only focusing on what he wanted to do. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree, he started taekwondo again and took it seriously this time, as he never wanted to be put in a position where his children and him were put in danger again.

When Sleipnir’s 9th birthday rolled around in June, Loki and Thor threw a large party for him, so proud that the boy had bounced back after his kidnapping, and Loki’s near death experience.

They’d moved into their house three months ago, and it was on a large piece of land, so they went all out for the boy’s birthday, setting up a small carnival with rides and carnival food, inviting all of the boy’s friends, and buying him so many gifts, that he had two entire tables covered with them.

It was while he was watching Sleipnir play a game of tag with Joo Won and their friends that made Loki smile, and he kissed his daughter’s cheek as she babbled at him to catch his attention, absolutely loving the peace that they now had.

Thor, Odin, Frigga, and all of Asgard’s top captains had effectively ended the mob war by shipping Svadilfari’s dead body back to Jotunheim, and had sent all the members they had in captivity back to Jotunheim, personally escorting them out of Asgard’s territory, and letting them know that if they ever returned, they would be shown no mercy.

It seemed that Jotunheim was currently in a state of licking their wounds, and now that their boss was dead, it seemed that his brother had taken over, and assured Odin that they would never set foot in Asgard again.

Of course, no one believed him, but Jotunheim’s numbers had been dwindled significantly, and it would take them  _ years _ to recover and get back to where they used to be.

And when that happened, Loki would be ready.

No one was ever hurting him or his children again.

“Are you alright, omega?” 

Loki turned towards Thor, nodding and offering him a reassuring smile. “I was just thinking about how far we’ve come.”

Thor’s gaze softened, and he wrapped a comforting arm around Loki’s waist, kissing his cheek. “Every day that I look at you and our boy, I think that you’re both so amazing. You’re both the strongest people that I know.”

This made Loki blush, and he leaned into Thor’s embrace, absolutely loving that he had the love, support, and stability for himself and his son that he’d always dreamed of. “I love you so much, alpha.”

Thor kissed Loki’s temple, hugging him a bit tighter for a moment. “I love you, too.” He laughed then, staring out at the party and how much fun everyone seemed to be having. “I love all of you so much, that sometimes I’m amazed I finally have the family I’ve always wanted, and feared I’d never have.”

Right on cue, Amira babbled and reached out for Thor, her eyes lighting up as Thor gently took her from Loki’s arms. “Baba!”

It made Thor’s heart soar in pride every time his daughter called him this, and he kissed her cheek in rapid succession, pretending to gobble her up. “Hello, sweet girl! How are you today?”

Amira babbled excitedly, so Thor pretended to understand her, nodding along his head in agreement. “Oh really? You think Mommy is the best mommy in the universe? I think so, too.”

Loki snorted when Thor said this and rolled his eyes, a soft smile on his face. He couldn’t imagine ever being with someone else, or loving someone else, as much as he loved Thor and their family.

Sleipnir and Joo Won ran up to them then, hand in hand. “Momma! Papa! Me and Joo Won wanna go on the ferris wheel! Wanna come with us?”

“Sure, bud,” Answered Thor, kissing Amira’s cheek again as she pulled at his beard. “We’ll ride with you.”

The family walked over to the ferris wheel and got into a pod, with Sleipnir and Joo Won sitting on one side, and Thor, Loki and Amira sitting on the other. Once the ferris wheel started, Thor looked across at the boy, relief flooding through him as he saw how happy and carefree the boy was. “Are you having fun, Sleipnir?”

“Yeah! Me and Joo Won rode all the rides, and we ate hot dogs and funnel cake, and cotton candy, and after this we’re gonna ride all the rides again!” Prattled Sleipnir, excitement in his eyes. “Thanks, Papa! Thanks, Momma!”

Loki smiled sweetly, reaching over the caress the boy’s cheek. “Of course, sweetheart. You’ve been such a good boy, and this is your reward.”

“Next year, can we go to Disney?” Asked Sleipnir, hope shining in his eyes. 

Thor and Loki shared a look before Loki nodded, not seeing why it would be an issue. “Sure, sweetheart.”

“And can Joo Won come?”

“Of course, bud. When it gets closer to your birthday next year, we’ll ask his parents, but if they’re okay with it, he can come.” Answered Thor, absolutely loving the way the boys’ eyes lit up as they cheered.

They all rode the ferris wheel a few times, and once the boys got sick of it, they ran off to go ride a rollercoaster, so Thor and Loki made their way to the shade of a tree and sat down, enjoying the day.

They still hadn’t told Sleipnir that they were in the mob, and had agreed that they would wait until given the all clear by Sleipnir’s therapist. The mob had their own slew of medical professionals that were contracted with them, so Sleipnir’s therapist understood the life that they lived, and what it entailed. Thor and Loki completely trusted that every time Sleipnir saw her, he was getting closer and closer to finally being himself again.

“We have to start planning our wedding, babe.”

Loki looked over at Thor, completely agreeing with him. “Your father told me that he would pay for the whole thing, and that there wasn’t a budget.”

“Did he, now?” Laughed Thor, amused by this. After Loki’s near death experience, and he and Sleipnir’s kidnapping, Odin had been much more gentler with the pair, and was fiercely protective over them, which made Thor happy. Sleipnir was warming up to him even, which meant a lot to them all. “What type of wedding do you want?”

“A really big wedding, to be honest,” Murmured Loki, a fond, faraway smile on his face. “I’ve always dreamed of having a fairytale wedding, and that Sleipnir would walk me down the aisle, and give me away.” He laughed softly then, tugging at a blade of grass. “I’ve always wanted a white tux, with a deep, red rose in its pocket. I would have a 8 tier wedding cake, with each layer being a different flavor. When I walk down the aisle, an orchestra would play, and during the reception, our favorite song would play, and we’d dance with Sleipnir and Amira in our arms, surrounded by our family and friends.”

Thor listened to Loki talk about his dream wedding intensely, taking note of everything the omega said, and committing it to memory. “What about a honeymoon?”

Loki hummed softly, continuing to twirl that same blade of grass between his fingertips. “I want the kids to come with us, if that’s okay?”

Thor didn’t mind, as he wasn’t too fond of being away from their children for long periods of time, anytime soon. “That’s fine; I’d prefer it that way.”

“Maybe we can go south? Somewhere tropical?”

“Like a cruise?” Suggested Thor.

Loki thought about this, weighing it in his mind. “No… I don’t want to be around too many people, and I don’t think Sleipnir wants to, either.”

“A private villa, perhaps?”

This sounded perfect to Loki, and he nodded, turning to smile at Thor. “That sounds amazing, honestly.”

The pair continued to speak about their wedding as they rested here, and couldn’t help but smile as they did so, relieved that everyone was safe now, and that they could finally live their lives.

**༺♥༻**

After Sleipnir’s birthday, the boy was deemed ready to return to school by his therapist, so a month before school started, Thor and Loki believed that it would be a good idea to speak to Sleipnir about being in the mob.

Loki was quite anxious about the entire conversation, as he didn’t want Sleipnir to hate him for choosing to leave their old mob and bring them into another one. He knew though that he did the best that he could do with what he had at the time, and if his son didn’t understand that now, he would, one day.

Sitting down in the living room of their home, Loki ran his fingers through Sleipnir’s raven hair, catching his attention. “Sleipnir? Mommy and Papa want to speak to you about something.”

Sleipnir put down his video game controller and paused the game, looking at his parents expectantly.

Thor cleared his throat, admittedly a bit nervous about this as well. “Bud… Mommy and Papa want to discuss our jobs with you.”

“Okay…” 

“So we are in a large organization called a mob. It’s also called the mafia, and Mommy and Papa, as well as Nanna Frigga and Grandpa Odin, run this mob.” Sleipnir didn’t seem confused or scared, so Thor continued to explain. “And in this mob, we do things that regular people don’t do.”

“Like what?” Questioned the boy, raising a curious eyebrow at Thor.

“Well… we make weapons and sell them… we have businesses… we do various things that are illegal, so it is  _ very _ important to keep this a secret.”

“Are you and Mommy gonna get arrested?”

“No, no bud,” Laughed Thor, ruffling his son’s hair. “No, not at all. The police are friends with us, and we have special permission to do certain things that other people can’t do.”

Sleipnir nodded, seemingly understanding. “Do you kill people?”

Thor widened his eyes and looked over at Loki, waiting for the omega to nod at him before nodding himself. “...Sometimes.”

“Do you kill bad guys?”

“... _ Yes _ ,” Lied Thor, not wanting to explain that they killed whoever they had to. “We kill bad guys that hurt people in our mob.”

“That’s cool, I guess,” Murmured the boy. “Why can’t I tell anyone?”

“Because mobs are illegal,” Explained Thor. “And while the police are friends with us, only  _ some _ of them are. We can still go to jail if anyone not in the mob finds out about us being in it.”

Sleipnir frowned, obviously worried. “So I can’t tell any of my friends?”

“You can talk to Joo Won about it, because Joo Won and his family are in our mob, but that’s  _ it _ .” Answered Loki, taking his son’s hand in his own. “And you and Joo Won shouldn’t talk about it while you’re around other people. It’s  _ very _ important that you keep this a secret, sweetheart.”

Sleipnir nodded, beginning to understand. “When I grow up, do I have to kill bad guys and do what you guys do?”

“Only if you want to,” Assured Thor.

The boy nodded, looking up at him. “Cool; is that all?”

Thor was surprised that Sleipnir took this all so well, and rubbed at his thigh, wanting the boy to know that all was well. “Yep. Do you have any questions?”

“Nope,” Answered the boy, picking up his video game controller and beginning to play again.

Thor and Loki kissed the boy’s temples before standing up and heading to their kitchen, wanting to talk about what had just transpired. “Norns, that was much easier than I thought it would be,” Murmured Loki, pouring himself some tea. “I thought that he would’ve been upset with me.”

“Why would he be upset?” Asked Thor, raising a confused eyebrow at his spouse. 

“Because I put him right back in the same environment that we fled from,” Sighed Loki, staring down into his mug. “I didn’t want him to hate me…”

Thor pulled Loki into a warm embrace, kissing the omega’s crown. “Loki, Sleipnir could never hate you. I think he knows on some level that everything you’ve done has been to make a better life for yourselves.”

This made Loki smile, and he nodded, hugging Thor as well. “Thank you, alpha.”

Now that they’d told their son the truth, Loki felt less guilty about the situation. This was the safest life for them, and while Loki initially wasn’t too happy to be back in a mob, it was because of this mob that he and his son were safe, and  _ that _ meant more to him than anything.

**༺♥༻**

Loki wanted a winter wonderland wedding, so the pair chose the date of December 6th as their wedding date. Now that he wasn’t in classes anymore, he had more time to plan the wedding, and dived right in, creating the wedding of his dreams.

Thor didn’t really mind this, as all he cared about was Loki getting the ceremony that he wanted. As long as Loki was happy, he was happy, so he agreed to whatever Loki asked to do for this wedding, not caring about the price.

The omega had wanted a  _ huge _ wedding, so every captain in the mob had been invited, as well as their spouses and some of their men. They’d rented out a resort an hour out of town for the event, and the guest list was currently at 300.

The pair spent the night before their wedding together with their children, opting out of a bachelor party. Spending time as a family meant more to them, and as they woke up in the morning, happiness spread throughout the pair, each of them excited that they were finally getting the wedding that they’d always wanted.

Loki wanted to adhere to tradition, so he kicked Thor out of their suite the morning of their wedding, not wanting the alpha to see him until he was ready. Amira and Sleipnir were being watched by Frigga, so once Loki had his hair styled and his makeup applied in the way he liked, he helped his children get ready, making sure that Amira’s golden curls were defined and bouncy, and that Sleipnir’s hair was slicked back with gel.

Loki almost cried when he saw how handsome Sleipnir looked in his suit, and he peppered his face with kisses, hugging him close. “Look at Mommy’s boy! You look so  _ handsome _ , sweetheart!”

Sleipnir blushed, obviously embarrassed. “You look really handsome and pretty too, Mama.”

The pair hugged, with Loki kissing his son’s cheek again. “We’ll have to take lots of pictures of you and your sister.”

His 1 year old daughter was surprisingly on her best behavior, and toddled over to him in her poofy red dress, reaching up. “Mama!”

Loki swept up his beautiful girl in his arms, kissing her until she began to giggle. “You look so  _ adorable _ , sweetheart!”

Amira babbled incoherently, reaching out to pull at Loki’s hair and bringing it to her mouth.

“Let’s leave Mommy’s hair alone, sweet girl,” Laughed Loki, gently taking his hair out of her grasp. “Mrs. Frigga? Is your makeup done?”

“Yes, Loki dear,” Answered Thor’s mother, looking over herself in the mirror in the suite. “Norns, I haven’t been this dolled up in years!”

“You look beautiful, Nanna Frigga,” Commented Sleipnir, running over to his grandmother and hugging her. “Like a queen!”

The old woman laughed, pinching her grandson’s cheek. “You’re such a charmer, Sleipnir.”

A loud knock at their suite door interrupted them, so Loki opened it, smiling when he saw Hogun. “Hey, Hogun.”

The beta smiled, looking Loki over. “Thor’s gonna lose his mind when he sees you.”

Loki rolled his eyes, blushing slightly from the compliment. “I suppose you’re here to tell us that everyone is waiting on us?”

“Yep,” Answered Hogun. “Everything’s ready; all we need is you.”

Loki nodded, turning to call out to Frigga and Sleipnir. “They’re ready for us, downstairs.”

Frigga hummed in reply, taking Sleipnir’s hand and walking towards Loki. “We’re ready.”

Now that Loki and his family were ready, they followed Hogun downstairs to the outdoor gardens where the wedding was being held. Loki’s heart nearly beat out of his chest while he waited for the orchestra to play, and he handed Amira to Frigga, who quickly made her way to the front row.

Sleipnir taking his hand and squeezing it made Loki look down, and the omega smiled warmly at his son, squeezing his hand back. “Ready?”

“Yeah!” Grinned the boy, the smile on his face melting Loki’s heart. “I love you, Mommy!”

“I love you too, sweetheart. And I couldn’t imagine anyone else walking me down the aisle.” Murmured Loki, squeezing his son’s hand again. “You mean so much to me.” Before Sleipnir could respond, the orchestra began to play, so Loki and his son stepped forward, coming out into view of the audience, and making their way towards the altar.

Thor’s breath caught in his throat when he saw Loki and Sleipnir, and he immediately teared up, wiping at his eyes, and grinning. The pair looked  _ amazing _ , and just seeing them so happy made him even happier. All he could think about was how far the pair had come, and to know that they’d opened up their hearts to allow him in, made him feel so honored.

Once the pair arrived in front of them, Thor kissed Loki’s knuckles, and Sleipnir’s temple, rubbing at their backs. “You guys look amazing.”

The pair grinned at him, so once Sleipnir was standing next to Loki, Thor gestured for his mother to hand him Amira, settling her comfortably in his arms. Loki’s dream was to have their children be a part of their ceremony, and this was a dream that Thor could absolutely stand behind, and oblige. 

Once the family of four was gathered up front, the officiant started their wedding, grinning at the family. “Thank you for joining us on this wonderful winter day, everyone. Today is a celebration; a celebration of love. It’s a celebration of love, of life, of family, and I think I speak for all of us when I say how proud I am of this family for staying together, against all odds.”

Clearing her throat, the officiant turned towards Thor. “Thor Odinson, do you take Loki Mason, to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you swear to remain by his side, in sickness and in health, for better and for worse, and for richer and poorer?”

Thor grinned, staring down at Loki and proudly stating his answer. “I do.”

The officiant turned to Loki next. “Loki Mason, do you take Thor Odinson to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you swear to remain by his side, in sickness and in health, for better and for worse, and for richer and poorer?”

Loki squeezed Thor’s hand, grinning up at him and absolutely  _ elated  _ to give his answer. “I do.”

“And Sleipnir Mason, do you accept your parents getting married, as long as they promise to love you and your sister forever and ever?” Asked the officiant, winking at the boy.

Sleipnir nodded with excitement, looking back and forth between his parents. “I do!”

The officiant laughed, turning her attention back to Loki and Thor. “The couple have decided to give their own vows, in lieu of traditional ones. I ask that Thor Odinson share his vows with not only Loki, but with their son, Sleipnir.”

Thor cleared his throat, his heart beating nervously in his chest. “Loki, Sleipnir… I never thought that I’d love again. I thought that I would never be a husband, I thought that I would never be a father, and I thought I would never be this happy. But you and our son have changed that.”

He teared up then, wiping at his eyes as his voice broke. “I love you both so much, and I thank the Norns every day that you’re in my life. You both have changed my life for the better, and every day that I spend with you, I’m happier than the day I was before. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you guys, and I am  _ honored _ that you both have opened your hearts, and allowed me in. I love you both  _ so  _ much, and I always will.”

The audience clapped at this, and Loki wiped at his eyes, unable to hold back his tears. He let out a shaky laugh and wiped at his tears as he cried a bit more, feeling so loved and adored right now. “Norns, alpha, I love you. And when I met you, I was so broken and hurt, that I thought I would never love again. I thought that I would never be happy, that I would always be alone, and that my son would never have a stable figure in his life to look up to; and you changed all of that.”

Loki sniffed then, letting out another shaky laugh as he continued to cry. “You showed my son and I a type of love that we’d always dreamed of, but had been too afraid to believe we would ever receive. You accepted us,  _ all _ of us, and loved every scar. And for that, I am so grateful to say that you are my husband, and the father of our children. I will love you forever, with everything in me, and I know that you will do the same.”

The audience clapped after Loki gave his vows, so the officiant waited before looking down at Sleipnir. “Sleipnir? Is there anything you want to say to your parents?”

Sleipnir nervously looked up, debating about it before nodding. “I-I do.” Sleipnir then gave Thor a bashful smile, the boy’s trust and adoration for him showing in his expression. “Papa, I-I really love you. A-And you saved me and Mommy, and you protect us, and any time I get scared, you’re always there to hug me.” The boy teared up then, his voice wobbling. “I thought that I would never be happy because of my old dad, and I was always sad. But now that you’re my dad, a-and you love me, I-I’m really happy.”

Thor teared up as the boy whimpered, too overcome with emotion, and pulled him into a warm embrace, kissing his temple, and letting him know just how much he was loved. He wiped at the young alpha’s tears, and hugged him close, affirming his love for the boy again and again.

Once Sleipnir calmed down, Thor pulled away, smiling down at the boy. “I love you, bud.”

Sleipnir grinned up at him through his tears. “I-I love you too, Papa!”

Even the officiant was tearing up because of the sweet moment shared between the two, and wiped at her eyes, letting out a hearty laugh. “That was beautiful. By the power vested in me, I declare you husband and wife! You may kiss, and continue being the most adorable family I’ve ever seen!”

Thor pulled Loki closer by his waist, and kissed his spouse deeply, breaking out into a grin when the audience cheered for them.

Being here in this moment with Thor and their children made Loki happier than anything, and as he kissed his husband, he poured all of his love for the man into the kiss, so thankful that after years of suffering, he finally got his happy ending.

**༺♥༻**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end T.T
> 
> So next chapter will be the epilogue, and then the story will truly be over. Chapter 23 is just a mini chapter MissOctober13 wanted to write, which will be a cute, father-son scene between Thor and Sleipnir.


	22. Epilogue

**༺♥༻**

****15 years later****

“Target sighted, 3 o’clock, target is wearing a black suit, trimmed with red.”

Loki turned his head, spotting his assignment for the night. He was currently undercover at a ball for the state’s elite, and had been contracted to kill one of the state’s board members. The man was corrupt, and was funneling money from the state’s budget for homeless shelters, into his own pockets, so Loki had no qualms about ending his life.

The man was also very abusive to his partner and child, so Loki straightened up and made his way over to the man, knowing that the alpha would see him walk past him on his way to the bar.

He made sure to tuck his hair behind his ear in a way that he knew alphas found seductive, and while he  _ was _ 40, he didn’t look it, which he was grateful for. Just like he expected, the alpha in question was right on his tail, and settled himself next to him at the bar, a lecherous grin on his face. “Can I buy you a drink?”

Loki turned towards the alpha, a soft smirk on his face. “Sure; knock yourself out.” He told the bartender what he wanted, and sipped at the drink once it was made, settling it down on the counter. “Ray Johnson, right?”

The alpha nodded, sipping at his own drink. “It’s not very fair that you know my name, and I don’t know yours.”

Loki’s smirk grew, and he looked the alpha up and down, giving the impression that he was interested in him. “Aster Dawson.” Loki had a plethora of fake names that he used when he was undercover, and this was just one of them. It wasn’t very safe to give out his true identity, so he often altered his appearance when he went undercover as well, wearing wigs, realistic colored contacts, and makeup, doing whatever he had to do to give the illusion that he was someone else.

The alpha he was speaking to was undoubtedly attracted to him, so Loki used this to his advantage, reaching out to stroke the man’s arm, and discreetly putting a poisonous powder in his drink. “I’m sure your wife wouldn’t be too happy to see me talking to you.”

The man snorted, reaching out to stroke at Loki’s arm, too. “Aw, don’t worry about her.” His eyes moved to Loki’s neck then, and he laughed softly, seeing the bond mark there. “And what about you? You’re bonded.”

Loki rolled his eyes, showing that he was unbothered. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” Loki could hear Thor’s scoff of indignation through his earpiece, and bit back a laugh, deciding to tease his husband a bit further. “We have an agreement; he gets to do what he wants, I get to do what I want, as long as we both come home at the end of the night.”

“Darling, when I’m done with you, your husband might regret that arrangement.” Laughed the alpha, sipping at his whiskey.

Loki raised a coy eyebrow at the man, pretending to be flattered. He grabbed a napkin and a pen, writing down a fake hotel and room number. “Meet me here after this is over, and we can see about that.” Sliding it over to the alpha, Loki downed the rest of his drink and got up, winking before walking away. “Target down.” He murmured, speaking discreetly into his earpiece. “Give me an update.”

“Three targets have also been hit; we’re waiting on Joo Won to complete his assignment, and then you’re cleared to get out of there.” Updated Thor.

Loki hummed, scanning the room until he found the omega. Joo Won had joined their mob’s omega espionage team when he turned 20, and had quickly risen through the ranks, becoming one of the most elite omegas in their mob. Loki was curious as to why the omega hadn’t completed his mission yet, and observed him carefully, seeing the exact moment he discreetly slipped in the toxic powder to his target’s drink.

Their mission tonight was to kill five state board members, and then immediately after this, they were all slated to eliminate various political members that were a threat to the rule of Asgard. Loki had been trained to hunt down and assassinate targets over a decade ago, and was quite confident in his skills.

He made eye contact with Joo Won and nodded discreetly, turning around as a woman screamed loudly. It seemed that the first target had fallen dead, and one by one, their targets fell, causing panic and hysteria to run rampant throughout the banquet hall. All of the omega operatives used the commotion to leave without being noticed, and all met up around the block at their rendezvous point, where Thor was waiting in an undercover van. 

“Good job, everyone!” Praised Thor, gesturing for the final member of the omega espionage team to close the door to van. “Every single target was taken out successfully. I trust that you all have your assignments for after this?”

“Yes, Boss,” Answered the group. Loki noticed that Joo Won looked a little pale, and reached out, a concerned hand on his shoulder. “Joo Won? Are you okay?”

The omega tried to nod, and ended up gagging, throwing open the van door and climbing out to throw up onto the street.

Loki cursed and climbed out with him, closing the van door as he rubbed at his back, heavily concerned for the man. “You didn’t get any of the powder in your drink, did you?”

“N-No,” Answered Joo Won, wiping at his lips. “I’m fine, I’ve just been feeling nauseous lately.”

Loki widened his eyes and raised an eyebrow at the omega. “Are you and Sleipnir using protection?”

A  _ furious _ blush spread across Joo Won’s face at the question, and he averted his gaze, a bit embarrassed. “What do you want me to say to that?”

Joo Won and Sleipnir started dating at 12, and had been a couple since then, not even breaking up once. Their families were so close at this point that Loki had no doubt that his son would marry the omega. Thor had even taken Sleipnir out ring shopping, so Loki knew it was only a matter of time before his son popped the question. “Are you pregnant?” He inhaled sharply when Joo Won remained silent, getting excited. “Are you pregnant?!”

“Yeah…” Murmured the omega, his face heating up when Loki tackled him into a hug. “I’m 8 weeks…”

“Does Sleipnir know?” Questioned Loki, absolutely elated that he was going to be a grandmother.

“No… I was going to tell him soon, I-I just… I wanted to be sure that the baby wouldn’t change things between us.”

Loki’s gaze softened, and he reached out, pinching at the omega’s cheek. “Joo Won, you have been the pinnacle of my son’s world since the day he met you. There isn’t a thing on this earth that you could do, that would make my son stop loving you.”

The praise made Joo Won laugh, and he shot Loki a grateful look. “Thanks, Loki. That means a lot, coming from you.”

Loki pulled the younger omega into his arms, hugging him tight. “I won’t tell Sleipnir that you’re pregnant. But you do need to tell him.”

“I will,” Assured Joo Won.

“Don’t worry about your assignment tonight, Joo Won; I’ll take care of it. Go home and rest; you shouldn’t be working.” Admonished Loki, pulling away. “Sleipnir’s gonna be pissed when he finds out you took this assignment while being pregnant.”

“I-I know… I know. I-I just wanted to go on one  _ final _ assignment before I take leave, and just sit at home all day, getting fat.”

Loki tutted, an understanding look in his eyes. “Go  _ home _ , Joo Won. I’ll have Thor take you, and I’d like you and Sleipnir to come over for breakfast, tomorrow. We haven’t had family breakfast in awhile.”

“Yeah, we’ll be there,” Assured Joo Won.

Thor opened up the van door then, concern on his face. “We have to go, guys. Everything okay?”

The pair nodded, quickly climbing back in. “We’re fine; Thor I need you to drive Joo Won home. He isn’t feeling well, so I’m taking over his assignment.”

“Okay,” Agreed Thor, beginning to drive away. One by one he dropped each of the omegas off at their assignments, and let them know that a member of their mob would be picking them up once they were done.

After dropping off everyone but Loki and Joo Won, Thor met Loki for a kiss, rubbing at his side. “Be safe; I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Responded Loki, kissing Thor again before grabbing his bags and getting out of the van. On the way to his assignment, he’d taken off his wig and makeup, and had changed into an all black outfit, needing to blend in with the night.

His current assignment was a political figure that was rising to prominence in their region, as this political figure was cracking down on the illegal drug and weapons trade, which was how their mob made their money. The political figure was also bringing attention to the fact that a mob even  _ existed _ in their region, so he had to be eliminated.

Loki had already hacked into the political figure’s personal accounts, and created fake emails and evidence that pointed to the man being on drugs. Loki would be taking him out via sniping, so he’d set everything up beforehand so that the police would discover that the politician was a dirty politician, and had been killed because he turned in his drug dealer.

Setting up his station from the top of a nearby building, Loki waited for the politician to come home, and get in his bath. From the intel he gathered on the man, the politician took a bath at the end of every evening, and Loki had situated himself so that he could take him out the second he got into that bath.

His phone vibrating caught his attention, so Loki pressed the button on his earpiece that would answer the call, concern in his voice. “Hello?”

“Mommy, can you read me a bedtime story?”

Loki blinked back in confusion. “Abigail? What are you doing up, sweetheart? It’s 10 o’clock! Where’s Nanna Frigga?”

He and Thor had decided to have another child a few years ago, and he gave birth to their omega daughter Abigail five years ago. The little girl was Thor’s  _ spitting  _ image -which made the alpha happier than anything- and was the  _ sweetest  _ little girl.

“I don’t want Nanna to read me a bedtime story, I want you!” Whimpered the little girl, undoubtedly beginning to tear up. “I want a hug!”

Loki’s heart broke at the confession, and he felt guilty once again for taking assignments while their daughter was so young. This was his job though, and the life that he signed up for, so he tutted, trying to help his daughter feel better. “Mommy will be home soon, sweetheart. What story do you want me to tell you?”

“Tell me the one where Daddy saved you and Sleipnir!” Asked the girl, beginning to giggle.

Loki was watching his target’s home for any sign of life, and tried to split his attention between staking out the place, and comforting his daughter. “Mommy used to be married to a really bad man. He would always hurt me and Sleipnir, and every day we used to cry.”

“Oh no!” Gasped Abigail, and Loki smiled gently, able to imagine the look of horror on her face.

“Mommy was able to run away from the bad man, and found Daddy, who loved Sleipnir and I so much, that we never cried again.” Continued Loki, noticing that his target was opening the door to his penthouse. He readjusted his gun, narrowing in on the man’s head, and debating if he wanted to kill him now. “Daddy was the perfect alpha, and always comforted me and Sleipnir.”

He decided against taking the kill right now, as he didn’t have the perfect shot, and didn’t want to mess this up. “But one day, when Mommy was pregnant with Amira, the bad man found us, and took me and Sleipnir back, kidnapping us from Daddy.”

Abigail gasped again, listening intensely to the story.

“But Daddy found us, and saved us from the bad man, and made sure that the bad man could never,  _ ever _ hurt Mommy and Sleipnir again. And we lived happily ever after, and then had Amira, and then a few years later, we had the most adorable little girl named Abigail, that Mommy loves so so so so  _ so _ much!”

His daughter giggled at the compliment, and the sound made Loki’s heart soar. “When are you coming home?”

Loki had a perfect shot on his target, as the man had undressed and settled himself in the bath, so Loki pulled the trigger, grinning when he saw that he’d successfully killed the man. “Mommy will be home soon, sweetheart; it’s time to go to bed, now.”

“Okay,” Grumbled Abigail, settling herself into bed. “I love you, Mommy.”

Loki smiled softly, wishing he could kiss his daughter goodnight. “I love you too, sweetheart. Goodnight.”

Once his daughter hung up, Loki looked back at the crime scene he’d created, seeing that the target’s wife had discovered him dead in the bathtub. He knew he needed to get out of there,  _ now _ , and packed up his things, heading back to the street, and getting in the car with one of their mob’s men. “Take me to 2359 Imperial Drive.”

“You don’t want to go home, Donna?” Asked the mob member, raising a confused eyebrow at the man. “Donna” was what the wife of the Boss and Underboss of the mob was called, and even after all of these years, it still felt weird for him to be called this.

“No, I have one more assignment,” Sighed Loki. The assignment he was on the way to was Joo Won’s assignment, and it required a hands on murder. Loki had to sneak into the target’s home, and kill him  _ and _ his wife. Loki had been a black belt in taekwondo for a few years now though, so he trusted his abilities to be able to successfully complete this mission.

He bit back a yawn as he settled himself back into his seat, and remained silent on the way to his final assignment, ready to get it over with and get back home to his family.

It took about 15 minutes to get to his destination, and once he got there, he turned to his driver. “I’ll be out soon. If it’s longer than 20 minutes, call for backup.”

“Understood, Donna.”

Loki climbed out of the car, slipping on his gloves, and securing his cap over his head so that no hair was poking out or at risk of falling out. He then pulled up his mask, making sure that there was no way that any DNA evidence could be left behind and link him to the murders he was about to commit.

He then climbed over the fence of the house, and snuck through the back yard, avoiding the security cameras, and picking the lock to the back door. It wasn’t hard to gain access at all, and once he was in, he moved silently throughout the house, making his way upstairs to the bedroom of the couple.

He cursed mentally when he heard their voices, and frowned, trying to determine the best way to do this. He had a gun, but he didn’t like using guns during hands on hits like this, as he didn’t want anything to be left at the crime scene that could be traced back to him.

His hands and skills would have to be enough, so he waited outside of their door, trying to listen. It seemed like the couple were having sex, so Loki cracked open their door and crawled in, blending in with the darkness.

Noticing a blanket, Loki discreetly grabbed it and wound it around his hands, figuring that he could use it to strangle the husband. Moving quickly, Loki stood and hooked the blanket around the husband’s neck twice, yanking him back, and dragging him off of his wife.

The man struggled to breathe, but Loki just tightened his hold, relieved that his long sleeves were tucked into his elbow length gloves. There was  _ no _ way that the man would be able to get any of Loki’s skin under his nails from the scratching he was doing. His target was clawing at his neck fiercely, and kicking in a poor attempt to get free, but Loki was stronger and held on, not stopping until the man stopped moving.

His wife was screaming and pointing at him, so once her husband was dead Loki made his way over to her, taking her hands and binding them so that he could strike her temple, effectively knocking her out. Once she was out cold, Loki broke her neck, and broke the neck of her husband for good measure, wanting to be on the safe side.

Now that they were dead, Loki left the way he came in, and got back into the mob vehicle, taking off his mask. “Alright, take me home, please.”

The driver nodded, setting course for Loki’s home. He lived on the other side of town, so it took about 30 minutes to get home. Right now it was midnight, and he’d been up since 6 am, so he was ready to fall asleep.

Once he arrived home, Loki made his way upstairs and jumped in the shower, wanting to cleanse himself from the sweat and grime of the day. And after he was cleaned, he dried off and dressed in night clothes, happy to see that Thor waited up for him. “Hey, alpha.” Loki slid into bed and right into Thor’s arms, meeting his husband for a warm kiss, and nestling into the crook of his neck. “Norns, I love you.”

Thor laughed softly, playfully pinching at Loki’s ass. “Well, you can do whatever you want, as long as you come home to me at night; that’s our arrangement, right?”

Loki snorted, understanding that Thor was just teasing him. “I had to lie to the politician.”

“You sure you didn’t do it to make me jealous?” Murmured Thor, amusement in his eyes.

“Maybe just a  _ little _ ,” Confessed Loki, laughing when Thor attacked him with a flurry of kisses. “I just wanted to mess with you.”

Thor pulled Loki on top of him, pressing a possessive kiss over his bondmark. “I really hate when those alphas touch you.”

Loki’s gaze softened, and he leaned over, kissing Thor deeply. “I’m sorry, alpha…”

Thor knew that Loki was tired, so he returned his kiss and helped Loki settle on his side, knowing that they needed to turn in for the night. “Joo Won said you wanted him and Sleipnir to come over for breakfast in the morning?”

“Yeah,” Yawned Loki, nestling underneath Thor’s chin. “He told me that he was pregnant today.”

“What?!”

“Yep,” Laughed Loki, squeezing Thor tightly with excitement. “We’re going to be grandparents!”

“Norns,” Laughed Thor, amazed and elated. “I can’t wait to hear how Sleipnir reacts.”

“All that’s left is for him to hurry up and propose.” Yawned Loki again, getting drowsy.

Thor hummed in agreement, rubbing soothing circles into Loki’s hip. “I spoke to him about that earlier today, actually. He said that he didn’t want Joo Won to say no, so he’s been anxious about actually proposing.”

Loki rolled his eyes, amused with their son. “Joo Won said he was too scared to tell Sleipnir about the baby, because he wasn’t sure if he’d be happy or if it’d change their relationship negatively.”

“I guess they’re afraid of the same thing; good thing they have us to knock some sense into them.” Murmured Thor, getting drowsy as well.

Loki fell asleep with a soft smile on his face, feeling comfortable, safe, and happy in Thor’s arms.

**༺♥༻**

Loki was  _ shocked _ to see that breakfast was already made when he woke up the next morning around 8. He walked into the kitchen fully expecting to see Frigga getting started, and was surprised to see Frigga, Amira, and Abigail finishing up. “You all made breakfast?”

Amira nodded, setting down a plate full of bacon. “Nanna said you came home late last night, so we wanted to help.” The female alpha was now 16, and had taken an interest in the culinary arts this year. Loki and Thor supported her, and while she didn’t show any interest in joining the mob, they didn’t mind, as they wanted their children to all be happy.

“Mommy!” Shouted Abigail, jumping off of her stool and running over to hug Loki. “I missed you!”

Loki scooped up his daughter into his arms, plastering her face with kisses. “Mommy missed you so so so so  _ so _ much, sweet girl. Did you sleep well last night?”

“Uh-huh!” Nodded the girl, nestling her face into the crook of Loki’s neck. “I dreamed that I had a castle, and I was a fairy queen!”

Loki smiled softly, rubbing at his daughter’s back. “That sounds fun, dear. What did you do as a fairy queen?”

“I granted wishes!” Answered Abigail, prattling on about her dream to Loki.

Loki made his way over to his oldest daughter and kissed her temple, pulling her into a warm hug. “Hello, sweetheart. Did you have a good night?”

“Yeah,” Murmured the alpha, beginning to blush. “I had my date with Kiara last night.”

_ “Oh?” _ Questioned Loki, raising an eyebrow at his daughter. “How did that go?”

“It went fine,” Murmured Amira, averting her gaze.

“Did you kiss her?”

“Mom!” 

“What?” Laughed Loki, winking at his daughter. “You’re growing up; you’ll have your first rut soon, and it’s natural that you’ll want to start dating.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m not talking about this,” Groaned Amira, covering her face in embarrassment.

“What are we not talking about?” Asked Thor, walking into the kitchen and greeting Loki and Abigail with a kiss.

“Amira was just telling Loki about her date last night,” Filled in Frigga, a twinkle in her eyes.

Thor inhaled sharply, his eyes widening in shock. “You went on a date?!”

“Nanna! Papa wasn’t supposed to know!” Gritted Amira, narrowing her eyes at her grandmother.

Frigga gasped, obviously feeling guilty. “ _ Norns _ , dear! Nanna’s sorry, I-I thought your father knew!”

Thor was  _ not _ happy, and crossed his arms, frowning at Loki. “Did you give her permission to go on an unsupervised date, Loki?”

“... _ Yes _ .” Answered Loki, raising his hands up to placate his husband. “She’s  _ 16 _ , Thor. She’s old enough to start dating.”

“She’s still in highschool! I-”

“I literally had a kid by her age, and I turned out just fine,” Huffed Loki, setting down Abigail so that he could pull Amira into a reassuring hug. “She’s  _ fine _ . She has a good head on her shoulders, and I trust her to make proper decisions.”

Thor’s hardened face softened, and he sighed, looking away. “I-I know that… I know that.” He looked back at Amira again, beginning to feel bad. “You’re a wonderful daughter, Amira. You’re smart, and you are very mature for your age. If your mother says he feels you’re ready to date, then… then… I-I guess you can date.”

Amira broke out into a soft smile at this. “Thanks, Papa…”

“What’s this about dating?” 

Everyone turned as Sleipnir and Joo Won came into the kitchen, and greeted the pair, passing out hugs and kisses. “Your sister went on her first date last night,” Supplied Loki, pulling in his son for a hug and kissing his cheek. 

Now that Sleipnir was an adult, he stood at 6’5, and had a  _ very _ intimidating aura. To everyone else in the mob, they  _ treblemed _ in fear when his name was mentioned, but to Loki, his son was still his adorable baby.

_ “What?!” _ Gasped Sleipnir, giving his sister an incredulous look. “You’re 16! Why are you dating people?”

“That’s what I said,” Murmured Thor, grabbing himself a drink.

“You dated Joo Won at 12!” Countered Amira, crossing her arms defiantly.

“That  _ is _ true, babe,” Murmured Joo Won, rubbing at Sleipnir’s back. 

Sleipnir shook his head, letting out an amused laugh. “Who was it?”

“An omega I’ve had a crush on for a while.” Murmured Amira, beginning to blush again.

“Norns… my fucking sister is  _ dating _ people,” Laughed the alpha, ruffling his sister’s hair. “That’s so  _ weird _ .”

_ “Language, _ ” Chastised Frigga, gesturing for everyone to finally sit down at the table so that they could eat.

“Sorry, Nanna,” Muttered Sleipnir, a slight blush on his face. He pulled out Joo Won’s chair for him and pushed him into the table, kissing his cheek before sitting down himself. “Well we’ve got some news.”

Joo Won extended his left hand then, showing off his engagement ring. “We’re getting married!”

Everyone around the table erupted into cheers, praising the couple for  _ finally _ taking the next step in their relationship.

“Oh, we have to throw a party!” Announced Frigga, clapping her hands in excitement.

“That’s not everything, Nanna,” Grinned Sleipnir, reaching out to take his fiance’s hand. “We’re pregnant!”

Everyone cheered even louder then, and Frigga broke out into tears, crying into her hands. “Norns! I’m so happy! I’m so happy for you both!”

“Aw, Nanna, Nanna, don’t cry,” Murmured Sleipnir, getting up to hug his grandmother.

“I’m just so happy!” Wept Frigga, hugging her grandson tightly.

Sleipnir wiped at his grandmother’s tears, kissing her crown. “Nanna, we’re happy, too. Please, don’t cry.”

Frigga sniffed, shooting Joo Won a radiant smile. “I knew from the moment I met Loki that he was the one for our boy. And I knew when I met  _ you _ , Joo Won, that you would always be special to my grandson. I’m so happy for both of you.”

Loki looked at his family proudly, beginning to tear up, too. Never in a million years did he ever think he would live a life like this, a life full of love, of acceptance, of pure  _ joy _ . Being here in this moment reminded him of the day he ran away with Sleipnir, and they crafted a story where they all got their happy ending.

Back on that bus, he had been scared, he’d been alone, but he still had  _ hope _ that he could make a life for himself and his son. And as he stared around at his family, he couldn’t help but smile, happy that he finally had the life of his dreams.

He'd _finally_ gotten his happy ending.

**༺♥༻**

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO!
> 
> This is the end, everyone!
> 
> This has been a long, BEAUTIFUL journey with all of you!
> 
> First things first, a BIG thank you to MissOctober13! They came to me earlier this year with a Mafia AU story regarding Thor and Loki, and really believed in me to bring their vision to life, which I am thankful for. Thank you for allowing me to bring your vision to everyone, and thank you for trusting me with it! This has been wonderful!
> 
> To everyone else who has supported this story, whether that's been from the beginning, or recently, THANK YOU. I never thought that this story would get as popular as it did, or that this many people would love it, and I'm so thankful for everyone that commented, kudo'd, bookmarked, and viewed this story. 
> 
> I am so thankful to everyone. Thank you! I love you guys so much!
> 
> -Nyna
> 
> P.S.
> 
> I need friends, so come talk to me on discord (Monet123#6184) if you feel comfortable doing so. I swear I'm super friendly!


	23. Character Pictures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!!! 
> 
> A very lovely reader suggested that I go and make the main characters of this story, in Sims 4. So.......... here they are :)

Odin

Frigga 

Thor

Loki

Sleipnir as a toddler

Sleipnir as a child

Sleipnir as an adult

Joo Won as a toddler

Joo Won as a child

Joo Won as an adult

Svadilfari 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to close out the story now, and mark it as complete. 
> 
> MissOctober13 is going to write a cute scene between Thor and Loki, when Sleipnir is still a child, but isn't sure when, so they'll add it when they're able to.

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out many of my other works in the Thorki fandom, please :D
> 
> Take a Chance On Me: Thor had been rivals with Loki for as long as he could remember. The two competed for friends, they competed in school, they competed in life, and for years Thor thought it was because he hated Loki, and loved seeing the look of crushing defeat in his eyes. But when the two share a drunken night together at his party, Thor begins to realize that the feelings of love and hate are more similar than he originally thought, and that maybe, it had been love all along. https://archiveofourown.org/works/28434114/chapters/69676893
> 
> I Want You: Loki was used to being alone; he was used to people not caring. And for the longest time, he was okay with that. But when a pesky student of his forces his way into his heart, Loki realizes that maybe it's time to take a chance on love. https://archiveofourown.org/works/28356057/chapters/69475137
> 
> Ørlǫglauss (Fateless)- Trapped in an abusive marriage with an alpha mobster boss, omega Loki manages to escape with their toddler alpha son Sleipnir to finally live a life of freedom. The omega ends up catching the curious eye of alpha mob boss Thor Odinson, who can’t seem to stop coming into the shithole diner he’s managed to pick up shifts at. There’s just something about the golden-haired alpha that draws Loki to his side, but… he can’t trust himself to act on his feelings. Not again. He just can’t risk falling in love again, only to end up back in the same situation he was in before. It seems that Thor isn’t too keen on taking “no” for an answer, though… https://archiveofourown.org/works/23726428/chapters/56976340
> 
> I Don’t Want You to Pretend Anymore- Thor is the worst liar in existence. After receiving the news that his best friend is getting married, Thor panics when he's asked who he'll be bringing as his plus one, and immediately says the name of his omega assistant Loki, falling deeper and deeper into a hole that he dug for himself when everyone in Thor's life suddenly demands to meet the "love of his life". Suddenly, Loki is in every part of Thor's life -even the parts Thor wished he wasn't- and as time goes on he finds himself caring deeply for the intrepid assistant who went along with his lie. Call him crazy, but... there was just something about Loki that drew him in, the deeper they fell into this lie. And somewhere along the way, Thor realized that he didn't want them to pretend anymore. https://archiveofourown.org/works/21426667/chapters/51052528
> 
> Indulgence- A Nordic marriage AU full of shameless kink smut, with our beautiful Jotun boy and our handsome Aesir Prince. https://archiveofourown.org/works/25757731/chapters/62553427
> 
> A Match Made In Valhalla - Arranged Marriage/ Matchmaking AU with Older! Thor and Younger! Loki https://archiveofourown.org/works/21338431/chapters/50822254
> 
> Within the Frost of My Heart - A Jotun! Thor and Jotun! Loki Nordic Myth AU. After rejecting King Thrym's advances for marriage one too many times, Loki is forced into marriage with a brutish outcast in their realm as punishment; the quarter-Aesir Thor Odinson. Loki believes that the life that awaits him is a cruel one; one where his autonomy as a being is stripped away, and he is forced to live a life of pain and suffering. Only... Thor is none of the things that he has been made out to be by their people. And Loki couldn't help but slowly become enthralled by him. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17855681/chapters/42135986
> 
> Under the Full Moon - Werewolf AU where Thor and Loki are both princes of their realms, and forced into an arranged marriage and arranged mating. https://archiveofourown.org/works/15437409/chapters/35832777
> 
> Hey, I Think I Love You - Loki and Thor are both middle-aged, successful businessmen with lives heading nowhere. Best friends since they could remember, they've been through everything that two people possibly can together, except... dating. And after a passionate night spent between the sheets, the two must decide where to go from there, and if changing their relationship is even worth the risk. Couple this in with the fact that these are two emotionally starved and lonely adults, one can only begin to picture the tumultuous relationship that is now Thor and Loki. https://archiveofourown.org/works/16040567/chapters/37443371
> 
> In Time - College A/B/O AU, Modern setting https://archiveofourown.org/works/14710367/chapters/33995930
> 
> I Won’t Give Up On You - Modern Highschool AU. Loki's the super smart 16-year-old valedictorian of his senior class. Thor's the always present popular captain of the football team. Against all odds, the two manage to ignore everybody and remain best friends. Until Thor Confesses his feelings for him. And two lines on a pregnancy test changed everything. https://archiveofourown.org/works/15266346/chapters/35412195


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